Even at this early stage, it seems that one of these two great teams, along with Chelsea, will be highly likely to claim the Premier League title this season. After a goalless first half, in which the balance of play went in favour of Manchester City, the match exploded after the break with four wonderful goals being shared in a space of 22 breath-taking minutes.
Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, said: “Thank God a football game has two halves. We did a lot of things wrong in the first half while City did a lot of things right. I was probably the happiest in my career to hear a half-time whistle.”
He spoke about the two goals his team scored: “Goal one was top passing, top moving and finishing. Goal two is individual quality which you only see when you are really lucky and blessed.”
Mohamed Salah was the architect of the first Liverpool goal and the scorer of the second marvellous goal. Klopp said: “If Leo Messi or Ronaldo scores that goal then the whole world accepts it because they are world class. Mo Salah scores that goal because he is world class. He is one of the best players in the world.”
Liverpool opened the scoring on the hour when Salah took possession of the ball in his half and raced ahead on the right beating Joao Cancelo before slipping the ball to Sadio Mane who finished with precision into the far corner. But within ten minutes City were level. Gabriel Jesus cut inside from the right passing the Liverpool back line and finding Phil Foden who finished from a tight angle.
The game was progressing at a frantic pace and in the 76th minute came a gem of a goal from Salah. He went past four players beating Bernardo Silva on the way and twice beating Aymeric Laporte with his twist and turn to shoot inside the far post. It was the perfect example of an individual goal. With his performance throughout, he was named man-of-the-match along with Foden.
Even after this superb piece of work by Salah, City had something to say. That happened in the 81st minute when Foden exchanged passes with Kevin De Bruyne for the Belgian to shoot from just outside the 18-yard line into the net with a slight deflection off Joel Matip. With three minutes remaining Liverpool might have snatched a dramatic victory but Fabinho, with an open goal, had his shot superbly blocked by Rodri.
Pep Guardiola, City manager, said: “What a game! That’s the reason in the last few years, Man City and Liverpool were always up there. That’s why the Premier League is the best. It was great, really great.”
He was, however, upset about James Milner not being shown a second yellow card when he fouled Silva after the break and in the first half, he thought Milner barging into Foden should have resulted in a penalty.
