Match data from WhoScored, except average position from the SofaScore app.
A goal post is, at most, five inches wide.
Sadio Mané's shot in the 18th minute hit just inside the middle of the goal post, bouncing away from goal, cleared by John Stones off Ederson's face. It was a simply wonderful counter-attack from that three – a one two from Salah and Firmino, the former sprinting away from the usually-everywhere Fernandinho, then releasing Mané past John Stones with a perfectly timed and weighted through ball – and if any move in the match "deserved" a goal, it was that.
Leroy Sane's shot in the 72nd minute hit inside the goal post, bouncing across Liverpool's goal line. It was Manchester City's at their most breakneck: Ederson to Danilo to a just-onside Sterling, running at the defense and waiting until Sané was perfectly between Alexander-Arnold and Mané, the former needing to track Agüero's run and the latter not able to catch up, the pass around Lovren and shot from a wide angle just before Alexander-Arnold could get back over.
I'd guess the difference between Mané's shot and Sane's shot is about an inch. A damned inch. And it's the difference between 1-0 within the first quarter of the match and 1-2 going into the last quarter of it.
And that wasn't even the smallest margin in yesterday's game.
1.12 centimeters.
That's the reported distance that the ricochet following Mané's shot off the post failed to clear City's goal line. The literal width of your pinkie finger.
This stupid game.
Make no mistake, Liverpool and Manchester City were that equal over 180 minutes this season.
Barely a hair's difference in both possession and shots. Over two matches, neither Liverpool nor City reached their average amount of shots in a "normal" Premier League match. Liverpool better with accuracy, shot location, and shot quality; City creating more clear-cut chances but failing to score on any of them, yet still scoring twice. Compared to Liverpool's one.
City seemingly were the better side defensively, over both matches, especially in midfield. City also had slightly more to do.
Bernardo Silva was everywhere yesterday, leading City in attempted tackles, interceptions, and distance run, while also registering the assist for Agüero's opener. Fernandinho barely less impressive, excellently tracking Salah and Firmino throughout the match. The center-backs doing *enough*, whether in blocks or fouls or clearances. Barely enough yesterday, but enough all the same. City with Laporte as a stand-in left back, yet still unable to threaten him, as they very much in last season's Champions League match at Anfield.
But Liverpool weren't bad either. Wijnaldum and Fabinho were excellent in Liverpool's midfield. Granted, one of them came on as a substitute, and led to a change in Liverpool's formation, and led to a change in Liverpool's fortunes, the side scoring seven minutes after his entrance. The Milner-Henderson-Wijnaldum midfield has started eight matches this season. Liverpool are unbeaten at home – 3W-1D – but have won just once away, at Leicester, while drawing with Chelsea and losing to Napoli and now City. Maybe Milner wasn't fully fit, and Henderson was – as is usually the case – better than most give him credit for – but it's been an issue more than just yesterday. And Liverpool's midfield wasn't City's midfield, even with David Silva similarly off-color.
Liverpool's full-backs impressed – Robertson and Alexander-Arnold's involvement in Liverpool's goal, fittingly combining for multiple passes in the sequence, demonstrated their importance to Liverpool's attack, especially in this formation. Robertson was also very, very good up against Sterling, even if he lost him for City's winner, Sterling beating Liverpool's usually outstanding offside trap. Van Dijk was typically imperious, and while Agüero found more joy when switching onto Lovren, the Croatian usually dealt with him reasonably competently. Even Lovren's actions on both goals – facing up Sané, trying to close Sterling's passing angle respectively – weren't *bad*. City's players were just better in the moment.
But Liverpool's front three had their moments as well, even in the restored 4-3-3 that maybe shouldn't have been restored. Those two clear-cut chances against a side that allows very few of them, those hard luck less-than-inches away on two occasions.
Liverpool got that bit of fortune when Mahrez missed a penalty in the match at Anfield, a match where both sides looked far less capable of scoring. City got it yesterday, with Mané and Sane's respective shots, with Ederson less than an inch from conceding an own goal thanks to Stones' clearance, even with Kompany staying on the pitch in the 31st minute after a wild two-footed tackle on Salah.
But Liverpool still have four more points through the season so far, and an arguably easier last 17 games, with only three top-six sides left to play and only one of those matches away from Anfield.
But it ain't the potential seven or ten points. Hay Liga. As if there was any doubt we'd have one.
No comments :
Post a Comment