Manchester City, on Sunday, survived a second-half barrage from Liverpool to hold on for a 1-1 draw in a thrilling encounter at Anfield which leaves Arsenal top of the Premier League.
The final Premier League meeting between Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola lived up to its billing as the injury-hit hosts roared back from John Stones’ clever first-half opener from a corner.
Alexis Mac Allister scored the leveller from the penalty spot early in the second period after Ederson had wiped out Darwin Nunez from Nathan Ake’s poor backpass, injuring himself in the process.
Klopp’s side, with Ibrahima Konate added to their injury list and with Mohamed Salah only fit enough to feature as a substitute, had been second best in the first half but dominated the rest of the game, missing a succession of chances, with Luis Diaz the main culprit.
A pulsating contest, which featured Kevin De Bruyne angrily remonstrating with Guardiola after being substituted, almost took another twist when City substitute Jeremy Doku struck a low shot against the inside of the post in the 89th minute.
Arsenal defeat 2-1 Brentford to top Premier League
The City winger then survived a VAR check for a penalty after a high-boot challenge on Mac Allister deep in stoppage time.
In the end, though the two sides could not be separated, the draw leaves Arsenal top of the table ahead of second-placed Liverpool on goal difference, with City a point further back in third place.
Speaking after the game, Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk said: “The second half was much better than the first 15 or 20 minutes of the first half, I think.
“Every time they could find the free man in the pocket and we should have closed the middle a bit better to make it a bit easier.
“But how we reacted was good. We had chances but we couldn’t convert them into the winner.
“Overall, bittersweet. Based on the second half, you feel like you should have won it. But we also can’t deny that with their quality, we can’t deny that they could also have finished off.
“I can go on, but it’s so close after the game. It’s a bit bittersweet at the moment.
“To come away with a point is not a bad situation so we have to focus on next and be positive.”
Liverpool are back at Anfield on Thursday for their second leg of their Europa League last-16 tie against Sparta Prague. The Reds then travel to Manchester United three days later on Sunday, March 17, for their FA Cup quarter-final.
City host Newcastle in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday, March 16. Arsenal then visit the Etihad Stadium after the international break on Sunday, March 31.
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