THE VERDICT: CITY 1 LIVERPOOL 1
THIS City team has often had its bottle questioned, not least amid the midweek misery of Monaco.
But in this pulsating, ferocious, highquality attack-fest of a game, they may just have restored Pep Guardiola’s faith that this group of players do have the stuff from which he can fashion a future for the Blues.
Some get Guardiola wrong, thinking he is all about technique and tactics, a man who puts the aesthetic, beautiful side of foorball above all else.
But even beyond that, Guardiola is a winner, and the absence of fight in that first half at the Stade Louis II will have cut him to the quick.
He demanded a response, and he certainly got one.
And if City could have found a little more nerve in front of goal, a pinch of luck or another moment of class to equal Sergio Aguero’s equaliser, they would have walked off with a deserved three points.
On the other hand, if ref Michael Oliver had not been suffering from the selective sight that seems to afflict Premier League officials whenever Raheem Sterling is involved, City would also have had a first-half penalty. Not that the Blues can dwell too long on Mr Oliver’s shortcoming, especially as Yaya Toure was lucky to get a yellow when he slid into Emre Can’s shoulder with raised studs. But it is true that in a match of five penalty appeals, he definitely missed the most obvious one, as James Milner slid into Sterling’s heel as he was poised to knock David Silva’s cross home. And it would be a shame to devalue a marvellous, exciting game which did great credit to both clubs, by letting more poor officiating fester in the memory. Liverpool had plenty of chances, playing a dangerous counterattacking game which had Willy Caballero performing heroics against the Merseysiders again. He could not keep out Milner’s spot kick, in the way he saved three Liverpool penalties in last season’s League Cup final, but he made four fabulous saves from open play. Kevin de Bruyne hit a Stuart Brennan Aguero (69) Milner (pen, 50) 57% 13 9 43% 13 8 Clichy, Toure, Silva Matip, Firmino, Mane Michael Oliver 54,449 post at one end, Adam Lallana had an air-shot from a sitter at the other, and both teams were still trying to win it as the game moved into added time. It was that kind of game. But in the end a point is not great for City, who are in danger of falling back into the dogfight for Champions League places after consecutive draws, just when they seemed to be pulling clear, along with Spurs.
And with trips to Arsenal and Chelsea in the space of three days to come next, the Blues need more of this spirit if they are not to run the risk of missing out next season.