THE VERDICT: LIVERPOOL 0 CITY 0
GABRIEL Jesus gave Riyad Mahrez the kind of look that said ‘on your head be it’ as he claimed the pivotal City penalty at Anfield.
The Brazil striker clearly felt he was next in line to take spot kicks, with Sergio Aguero having already been substituted.
But £60m record signing Mahrez either decided himself to take it - or was instructed to by Pep Guardiola – and he blazed his shot high over the bar.
With five minutes to go, that would have been a dagger thrust through the heart of the would-be Premier League title challengers, after substitute Leroy Sane had tempted Virgil van Dijk into a rash challenge in a game notable for its defensive perfection.
If it had gone in, it would have been a tactical triumph for Pep Guardiola.
The Blues boss did not exactly stifle his team’s natural game, as some think he needs to do in games like this.
He simply introduced an element of caution which City lacked in their two visits to Anfield last season – and for which they paid a heavy price.
After all the excitement of last season – four high-octane meetings, involving 18 goals and some thrilling attacking play – perhaps this was always going to be an anti-climax.
The amount of respect the teams had for each other stymied the usual boldness with which they go about their work.
It was noticeable that City, who move and pass at breakneck speed when at their best, were often intent on slowing the game down, seeking the gaps in the Liverpool defence rather than trying to punch them.
Guardiola had described the Liverpool front three as ‘scary’ and perhaps City tempered their adventure accordingly.
They consistently ensured that they got bodies back the moment the home side threatened a break, with Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez instructed to track back and help out their full-backs. That curtailed the pace and space which Liverpool exploited so mercilessly in those two harrowing Anfield games last season. And when the Scousers DID manage to slide passes for the lightning feet of Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, they repeatedly found that Aymeric Laporte and John Stones had it all under wraps. As a consequence, it was Stuart Brennan None 51% 6 6 None 49% 7 2 Wijnaldum Bernardo, Aguero, Mendy Martin Atkinson 52,117 not the spectacle that had seen the world drooling in anticipation.
But it took an hour for the first shot, as David Silva released Mahrez and a sudden acceleration saw him open a foot of space and fire just beyond the far post.
It looked at that point as though City were starting to open up, but within moments Salah fired wide at the other end. The second half was a more open affair and Guardiola played his joker by introducing Sane to test tiring legs.
It worked as Van Dijk’s lunge missed the ball and took out the Germany winger. Jesus headed for the ball but Mahrez claimed it.
Guardiola has said in the past that he leaves it up to his players to decide who takes spot kicks. Maybe that needs to change.