Goals from Kevin de Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus twice put Manchester City in front but Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane struck back for a Liverpool side who refused to be knocked out of the Premier League title race. Here's how the players performed...
Monday 11 April 2022 08:25, UK
City's No 1 should have done better with Jota's strike, which squirmed underneath him to get Liverpool back in the game at 1-1 and he almost gave the Portuguese forward another gift soon after, terrifying City supporters with his casual footwork right on his own goal-line. Was left exposed for Liverpool's second.
Brought back into the side but showed the best and worst of his game. In the first half, his electric recovery pace was put to good use to stop Salah and he was sharp to shut down a Robertson pass in the box. But at the start of the second half he got caught out of position for Mane's goal when there was no way back and another piece of poor positioning almost allowed Salah to find Jota for a third.
Out of the team in the first half of the season, Stones is back now and, with Ruben Dias missing, provided a solid performance in City's backline on this big stage. Dealt well with the Liverpool threat in the first half and used his passing quality to instigate several City attacks in the second.
Laporte is having an impressive season for City and a crucial sliding tackle on Jota just before half-time was another highlight. It would have been a certain penalty and perhaps a red if he'd got it wrong. Hit the post seconds later when he was rightly flagged offside from a free-kick but some top defending against Alexander-Arnold in the box and a block on a Salah shot after the break were reminders of where his strengths lie.
An attacking force down the left for Man City and it was another example of his wonderful passing range for the hosts' second, bending the ball to the back post for Jesus. Before then he could have had an assist when De Bruyne shot into the side-netting and a goal of his own when his deflected effort hit a post. Made a sleepy start to the second half and was fortunate not to be punished, but overall another impressive display.
Another classy performance from City's orchestrator. His quick free-kick got them moving for the first goal after his early pass led to a good chance for Sterling. He had the most touches for City in the first half, none more stylish than the couple he used for kick-ups in his own half to spin away from Henderson.
Covered a lot of ground in the centre of the park against an energetic Liverpool midfield but a moment when precise control was required let him down, with his header from a set-piece across goal to Stones miscued and a simple tap-in opportunity missed. But did his main tasks with distinction, as usual.
A performance which reminded everyone - if they needed - why he is so highly rated. City's star man stepped up and delivered inside five minutes when his deflected strike flew in off a post to get the defending champions going. He had his head in his hands on the half-hour when he hit the side netting, but repeatedly passed through the Liverpool lines and a tight offside call on Sterling and a Mahrez miss denied him an assist.
Foden gave James Milner nightmares down the left flank at Anfield but he struggled to have the same kind of impact on Sunday up against Alexander-Arnold. As stylish on the ball as ever but when he did come inside the Liverpool right-back, Matip was there to shepherd him away from the danger zone. Was unable to create a clear chance.
A nearly-match for Sterling against his former club. He's been coming back into form and it felt like he'd have a say today but he squandered a one-on-one in the opening minutes and when he did convert from a similar chance in the second half he was flagged marginally offside. Subbed off for Mahrez with 15 to play and a feeling it wasn't quite his day.
Overthinking it? Pep Guardiola's surprise selection paid off in this one. Jesus, making his first Premier League start since New Year's Day, hit the net from Cancelo's excellent cross after a brilliantly-timed run got him in behind Alexander-Arnold. Before then he'd put a chance on a plate for Sterling and seen a penalty shout turned away after being upended by Alisson. Saw a goal-bound shot blocked by Van Dijk in the second half and got carried away shooting into the side-netting when better options were available, but an impressive return.
What a chance to win it! What a miss! Released by De Bruyne in the final seconds, he got his shot/lob all wrong. And that came after his free-kick clipped a post. Almost the hero...
Had one moment, twisting and turning in the box, but will be frustrated not to have got on earlier.
The frustrating life of a goalkeeper: Alisson pulled off a brilliant save from Sterling inside five minutes from a one-on-one chance but 39 seconds later a wicked deflection gave him no hope with De Bruyne's opener. Could do little about Jesus' close-range finish for City's second, either.
A touch of real quality teed up Jota for Liverpool's equaliser - another fine assist to add to his collection. And he thought he might score a goal to go down in history when he spotted Ederson off his line but his effort from halfway was miscued. Questions were asked about his defending when he was caught out by Jesus' run in behind for City's second, with Sky Sports' Roy Keane pointing at his body position, but was generally solid on the back foot.
A reassuring presence in the Liverpool defence alongside Alexander-Arnold to help close down any threat from Foden or, late on, Grealish. His deflection gave Alisson no chance for the opener - could he have got out quicker to the City man? - but gave Liverpool a good base against this talented attacking team of Guardiola's.
A late booking for a cynical foul on De Bruyne blotted his copybook after what was an otherwise typically stylish centre-back display. Whether he was sweeping up a Walker cross aimed for Foden early on, blocking a Jesus goal-bound shot or snuffing out Sterling's run through on goal with pace, positioning and timing in the tackle, Van Dijk did it all with an air of calm which belied the occasion.
Combined with Alexander-Arnold in the build-up to Jota's equaliser and booked for taking out De Bruyne on the touchline to sum up the blend of quality and bite he brings to this team. Another reliable display on the big stage from the Scotsman.
Not at his best and at times off the pace. Made it too easy for De Bruyne to break into space and unleash his shot for City's opener, gave the ball away to Rodri whose own ricocheted effort went over, and beaten by Jesus in the box when his compatriot's shot was blocked by Van Dijk. Had to take out Silva when the City man got away from him and was perhaps fortunate not to see red.
Lots of energy but finesse missing from Liverpool's captain. He played couple of balls over top in the first half as Liverpool struggled to grab control but eventually got it right just before the break, although Jota failed to make the most of it. Subbed in the second half.
Had to wait 10 minutes for his first touch after City's dominant start but an outrageous switch of play to Alexander-Arnold in build-up to Liverpool's first goal got him going. Never one to back away from a fight, he was booked for chopping down De Bruyne in midfield was perhaps fortunate not to get another yellow when he caught the City man again after being tugged back by Rodri. Helped the Reds gain some control in that area of the pitch at points during the game.
Came into the game with questions over his form and was hardly in the game in the first half but for one darting run past Laporte which was covered by Walker. But he showed his game is about more than just goals seconds into the second period, rolling a perfectly-weighted pass into Mane's path to make it 2-2. "What a pass," said Gary Neville on co-commentary. A trademark left-foot curler was blocked by Laporte to extend his wait for an open-play goal but made his impact with that assist.
Jota has regularly been Liverpool's man for the big occasion and, starting ahead of the electric Luis Diaz, delivered again on Sunday, when he was perfectly placed and composed enough to slot in his 21st goal of the season. Barely had a kick after that - although he almost forced a mistake from Ederson - and made way on 70 minutes for Diaz when Liverpool were looking for some inspiration late on.
Like the rest of Liverpool's front three, Mane saw little of the ball in first half but needed less than a minute to make his mark at the start of the second, dashing in behind Walker to convert Salah's excellent pass. A nice way to mark his 30th birthday!
On for final 20 minutes but unable to come up with a magic moment like the ones we've seen from him since his January arrival.
On in the final stages for Henderson but wasn't able to give Liverpool's midfield the added thrust to come up with a dramatic winner.
Sent on for the last six minutes but didn't get his big chance.
