Manchester City squandered the opportunity to climb to third in the Premier League after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at the Etihad. With Arne Slot’s side tightening their grip on the title race, City found themselves undone by their own defensive lapses, gifting Liverpool two avoidable first-half goals.
Mohamed Salah capitalized on a well-executed corner to open the scoring before setting up Dominik Szoboszlai for the second after a swift counterattack. Despite enjoying plenty of possession, Pep Guardiola’s men lacked cutting edge in the final third, missing the presence of Erling Haaland. Here are some key moments from the match that might have gone unnoticed.
Guardiola’s Tactical Huddle Reveals a Misalignment
During a stoppage when Alexis Mac Allister received treatment following Omar Marmoush’s disallowed goal, Guardiola seized the moment to gather his entire team for a quick tactical discussion. Notably, he had specific instructions for Phil Foden and Marmoush, as well as Nathan Ake, which was intriguing given Ake’s deeper defensive role.
Guardiola had seemingly identified an issue with how City were structuring their attack, particularly with Foden and Marmoush being used as makeshift false nines. The problem? Their movements were too similar, often dropping deep simultaneously or both staying too high, leaving City without a clear attacking focal point. While both players showed flashes of brilliance individually, their partnership lacked cohesion, which disrupted City’s offensive rhythm.
A False Alarm That Woke Up City
Liverpool nearly rubbed salt into City’s wounds when Curtis Jones appeared to have scored a third goal. The away end erupted in celebration, only for VAR to rule it out. The premature celebration might have been embarrassing for Liverpool, but it inadvertently served as a wake-up call for City.
Even after the goal was chalked off, Jones and Mac Allister continued to rally the Liverpool fans, urging them to maintain the energy. Meanwhile, City’s supporters, reinvigorated by the near-miss, responded with more vocal support. This reaction seemed to give City a much-needed boost, injecting some urgency into their play—a response that should have come much earlier in a lackluster second half.
Rivalry and Unity in One Moment
Before kick-off, both sets of fans displayed a rare moment of solidarity as they joined forces to showcase the #StopExploitingLoyalty banner in the South Stand, echoing the message seen at Anfield earlier in the season. It was a significant reminder that, despite their differences, football fans can unite for important causes.
However, in true football fashion, the camaraderie didn’t last long before City fans took the opportunity to tease their rivals. Shortly after the banner was removed, another one appeared near the away end reading, This Means Four—a cheeky play on Liverpool’s This Means More slogan. It was a classic bit of football banter, proving that while fans can come together on big issues, they’ll never pass up a chance for some playful rivalry.
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