Manchester City - Liverpool™Failed Post Match Thread | Page 2 | Vital Football

Manchester City - Liverpool™Failed Post Match Thread

Commentary By Neil Leigh @@mancity
19:18
Pep: 'I'm so proud of my team'
Pep Guardiola's verdict:
"We faced them. It is a good advert for the Premier League. It was a fantastic game with both teams trying to win the game. Unfortunately we did not win, Liverpool are a joy to watch with all the threats they have up front.
"We performed very well and I’m so so proud of my team. We performed incredibly well. Both teams know with seven games left we have to win them all, we’re going to play for that."
 
Pep: 'This is not over'
More from the boss:

"In Anfield (in October) we played incredible first half and it was the same result here. I had a feeling that we missed the opportunity to get the full points.

"This is not over. I would say the same with a defeat and with a victory. We know what we have to do. Madrid, then the FA Cup semi-final then finish the Premier League as strong as possible."
 
I had a look at the 'Independent' newspaper player ratings, Independent that is a laugh despite Liverpool coming second in almost every stat bar the score yellow cards and fouls they gave the Dips much higher ratings than City, you would have thought that City had been trounced.

apart from the goals, play of the day was Ederson not panicking(unlike the viewer) with the pressure by a dip but cools as a cucumber rolls it along his goal line to a City defender, other lesser mortals would have thumped it wildly anywhere.
 
Posted at 19:5919:59
'You have to win or it will all be over'
FT: Man City 2-2 Liverpool
18c44f8f-e824-4f4b-bb6b-dad259f741f9.jpg

Manchester City
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola to Sky Sports, on whether he agrees with Jurgen Klopp's assessment that it was like a 'boxing match': "Quite similar. He likes that. He likes his punching games.
"I think it is a good advert for the Premier League. It was a fantastic game and both teams tried to win. Liverpool is a joy to watch, I know the threats they have and how good they are. I think we performed really well and I'm so proud of my team.
"Now both teams know [there are] seven games left, you have to win or it will all be over."
On how the game went: "I think the second half was quite similar to the first half, except the first 10 minutes when you get a punch. We did really well and played really well. They are so compact and between the lines it is so difficult."
On why he chose to start Gabriel Jesus: "Gabriel deserves to play a lot because he is a fantastic person - they all deserve to play. Today, for the quality they have we felt we could find the spaces with these players. Maybe for next weekend we change something."
On the result: "It is what it is. At Anfield it was the same result, in a different way. I have a feeling we missed an opportunity [today] but it doesn't matter what happened, this is not over. I would say the same with defeat or victory. We know what we have to do. I don't know what is going to happen."
On Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: "I don't know if Jurgen respects me but Jurgen has to know I respect him a lot. He has made me a better manager. His team is always there, they are always aggressive. We are not friends, we never see each other, I have his number but I don't call him. I have respect for him, but he knows next Saturday [in the FA Cup semi-final] I am going to try and beat him."
Premier League: Man City v Liverpool LIVE - score, commentary and updates - Live - BBC Sport
 
'We had the upper hand'
FT: Man City 2-2 Liverpool
18c44f8f-e824-4f4b-bb6b-dad259f741f9.jpg

Manchester City
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola speaking to BBC Radio 5Live: "I'm really happy with the way we played. We played well first half, it was tough for 10 minutes in the second half but that is normal when you concede. They have quality and a lot of threats, but we performed well. It is football, these things happen. How many managers say, 'in the last minutes, we can't concede', we can concede until the referee blows the whistle.
"Yellow cards, red cards, VAR, these things happen. Everybody enjoyed it; City fans, Liverpool fans all around the world; that is the best platform for the Premier League. All the players showcased the Premier League in the right way.
"I'm in love with Riyad [Mahrez]; he is an incredible player and person. today, we thought we needed a different quality up front. We will need him until the end."
 
Posted at 19:3519:35
'You are a manager for these types of games'
FT: Man City 2-2 Liverpool
18c44f8f-e824-4f4b-bb6b-dad259f741f9.jpg

Manchester City
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola to BBC MOTD: "It is what it is. Against that team it was almost impossible. You have to play these types of games. We are top of the table still so we have a feeling that we miss a huge opportunity to make a stamp but there are many games left.
"You are a manager for these types of games of course. The way we play these teams with those threats up front... They are incredible. With our courage of play and the chances we had, especially in the last minute... We defended incredibly well and created a few chances. We go forward.
"I don't have any regrets. They can miss whatever they want. It was positive. It is football and it happens.
"We will relax a little bit then prepare for the Champions League."
 
Buzz Lightyear said:
I had a look at the 'Independent' newspaper player ratings, Independent that is a laugh despite Liverpool coming second in almost every stat bar the score yellow cards and fouls they gave the Dips much higher ratings than City, you would have thought that City had been trounced.

apart from the goals, play of the day was Ederson not panicking(unlike the viewer) with the pressure by a dip but cools as a cucumber rolls it along his goal line to a City defender, other lesser mortals would have thumped it wildly anywhere.
Click to expand...
The institutional bias runs deep. They forget which team remains top of the table.
 
I've had a look at the MTD first.

Being generous, I thought a draw was a fair result - my sister disagreed.

It was noticeable prior to kick off on the Colin Bell stand side there was about four or five tv OBs on the touchline, an indicator, no doubt, of the interest being shown in this one.

A great start, but with luck attached to it with the deflection, but Sterling should've scored before that anyway. The irony was he had a harder chance later finished with aplomb, but that damned VAR!

I thought both sides were open to the ball played in behind the high line, but, overall, a superb game, but that chance at the end.....

I don't know why Mahrez didn't put his laces through it, although I could see his thought process as Alisson committed early, I just hope it doesn't come back to haunt us.

Liverpool certainly showed their physical side, but we still have our destiny in our own hands - it will now be interesting to see what Guardiola does with team selection next Saturday. Prehaps we go strong again, and Brighton on the Wednesday will be the rotation fixture? We'll see - up the Blues!
 
The view from KippaxBlue:-

Liverpool 2- 2 ​

The result would have been different if only Mahrez would have shot low instead of trying to clip the ball over the keeper in the very last seconds of this gripping battle between the top two teams. This pulsating game ended in a draw so City remain one point ahead of Liverpool at the top of the league.​

City made three changes from the win against Atletico Madrid - Foden, Walker and Jesus replacing Grealish, Ake and Mahrez. City had an early chance after just 4 minutes when an excellent cross by Jesus was met by Sterling but he failed to to beat the keeper. However a minute or so later a quick free kick went to Kevin De Bruyne and his shot was deflected via a defender and the post into the net to put City one up.​

However City's joy was short lived as Jota equalized on 12 minutes. City hit back but efforts by Jesus and Rodri failed to find the back of the net! On 22 minutes we almost had a disaster when Ederson for once failed to control the ball from a back pass and the ball rolled towards the line. Fortunately he was able to recover and kick the ball away. Five minutes later Robertson got a yellow card for a bad foul on De Bruyne.​

On 34 minutes Cancelo shot just wide - the ball deflected for a corner. On 36 minutes Cancel had much better luck when his wonderful cross field pass reached Jesus who had dashed forward. Jesus then clipped the ball over the keeper to score - an excellent goal - well conceived and carried out. 2-1 to City ! We should have made it 3-1 on 43 minutes when a cross by Foden was just missed by Sterling with only the keeper to beat. So it remained 2-1 at half time.​

Disaster struck early in the second half. Mane took a pass from Salah and scored. I thought there might have been a possible offside in the build-up but no VAR alas. The fast pace continued and Ederson had to make a save. At the other end Jesus had a shot blocked and on 62 minutes Sterling actually scored and City had gone in front. Alas VAR struck and it looked like Sterling's toe was offside so it was back to two all again. I felt that City were a bit too slow coming out out of defence and Liverpool were putting on the pressure.​
​
After a Jesus shot went wide Mahrez came on for Sterling who had not had the best of games. Later Grealish was on for Jesus and City put Liverpool under lots of pressure. A cross from Cancelo just went wide and a Mahrez free kick for a foul on De Bruyne was very near the top corner but alas just wide. There were four minutes of added time and in the final seconds Mahrez had a great chance but alas the ball went just over the bar so now City just have to win all their remaining games !​
 
You must log in or register to reply here.