Liverpool’s African imports, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, got on the scoresheet as
Manchester City came from behind twice to earn a 2-2 draw in a breathless and pulsating Premier League encounter at Anfield on Sunday.
All four goals were scored in the second half, which featured the high-quality, high-tempo, end-to-end game that has made the Premier League so popular around the world.
Mane gave Liverpool the lead before Phil Foden equalized, only for Salah to regain Liverpool’s lead with a stunning solo goal.
However, Kevin De Bruyne’s 81st-minute equalizer ensured the clubs shared the points, leaving Liverpool in second place with 15 points, one point behind champions Chelsea.
Pep Guardiola’s City are tied for third place with Manchester United, Everton, and Brighton & Hove Albion with 14 points.
“What a game. That’s the reason (over) the last years Man City and Liverpool are always there because we try to play in this way. Unfortunately, we couldn’t win – but we didn’t lose.
“That’s why the Premier League is the best. It was great, really great,” Guardiola said.
City will rue their failure to capitalise on their first-half dominance, as the visitors toyed with Jürgen Klopp’s team for the final 20 minutes of the half.
James Milner, who was filling in at right-back for Trent Alexander-Arnold, had a nightmare first half, up against Phil Foden and Jack Grealish and with little help from his teammates.
In the 21st minute, Bernardo Silva’s mazy dribble generated a chance for Foden, but his shot went straight at Alisson, who parried the ball.
When Milner looked to push Foden in the back, City felt they should have been awarded a penalty, but referee Paul Tierney dismissed the request. Guardiola was enraged by the decision, which was the first of a string of them.
De Bruyne should have found the target with a diving header from Foden’s cross to the back post. Foden was causing Liverpool frequent issues.
Liverpool made it to halftime without conceding, and they came out in the second half desperate to change the game’s momentum.
They accomplished just that when Salah sprinted past Joao Cancelo and put the ball into the path of the running Mane, who confidently shot past goalkeeper Ederson in the 59th minute.
10 minutes later, Gabriel Jesus cut in from the right flank, taking out four Liverpool players before finding Foden, who hammered the ball into the far, bottom corner of the net.
With the home crowd roaring for their team and City believing there were more chances to come, neither side was willing to settle for a point.
Salah twisted and turned inside the box to lose Cancelo and Aymeric Laporte before blasting home for the eighth consecutive game in all competitions to restore Liverpool’s lead.
The Egyptian demonstrated his exquisite touch, quick movements, and clinical finishing that have made him a fan favourite.
The influential Foden found space on the left again, this time brilliantly dragging the ball back to the outside of the box for Kevin De Bruyne, whose curling shot took a tiny deflection from Joel Matip to beat Alisson.
There was still time for City midfielder Rodri to produce a stunning block to keep off Fabinho’s goal-bound shot after Ederson had dropped a cross.
Klopp made no attempt to sugarcoat his team’s performance in the first half.
“We were too passive with and without the ball and played right into City’s hands. That was the worst half we have played against them,” he said.
“I was more than pleased when I heard the whistle for halftime because we had to adjust a lot of things and we did.
“Second half was completely different. If we only played the second half I would have loved to have won, but with the first half I am happy with the point,” he said.
