Harry in Dybala is out
Bravo’s the spot-kick hero as big two start with bang
IN THE end only Gini Wijnaldum’s missed penalty separated the European champions from the Premier League kings yesterday.
If this game is anything to go by, then we are in for another titanic tussle between Liverpool and Manchester City this season.
City lifted the Community Shield for the second year in a row when Gabriel Jesus rounded off their five perfect penalties after Reds midfielder Wijnaldum had his spot-kick saved by Claudio Bravo.
On another day, Mo Salah or Raheem Sterling could have had a hat-trick apiece.
But a draw over 90 minutes seemed fair between two sides who finished just a point apart in the league last season.
If the Community Shield is not considered that important, then nobody told English football’s big two.
These were two teams desperate to lay down an early marker as they prepare for another battle to win major honours.
In the first half, Pep Guardiola’s side were well on top.
But they failed to take advantage of a Liverpool defence out of sorts, with Sterling’s scruffy opener their only goal in a fairly dominant opening 45 minutes for City.
Jurgen Klopp’s men rallied after the break, with Joel Matip equalising to force penalties.
But that only told half the story of an entertaining game laced with defensive errors but also attacking brilliance.
There was certainly some fizz to a showpiece game that can often be flat.
Sterling put City ahead in the 12th minute by which time Bayern Munich target Leroy Sane had already hobbled off the pitch with a knee injury after being fouled by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
A quick free-kick was headed across goal by Kevin De Bruyne to David Silva, who flicked it to MAN CITY WIN 5-4 ON PENS
Sterling and he poked it home, with goalkeeper Alisson unable to stop it despite getting his foot and hand to the ball.
It was England ace Sterling’s first goal against his former club since his 2015 move to the Etihad.
Soon after Salah struck the post from a tight angle, even though it was City who had been on top.
More defensive frailties gave Sterling another chance but this time Alisson’s hand remained strong.
Liverpool came out flying after the break and Virgil van Dijk hit the underside of the bar from a corner in the 57th minute.
Then Salah slipped inside Oleksandr Zinchenko to fire a low strike that cracked against the post once more.
Klopp’s side had finally started to play like European champions even though they were without star Sadio Mane.
Liverpool’s forwards were not firing so their centre-backs stepped up in the 77th minute.
Van Dijk calmly played the ball across the area and Matip rose to head home. Then Salah saw another effort saved by Bravo before he headed the rebound over the City keeper, only for Kyle Walker to spectacularly turn the ball away from underneath the bar.
The announcement of penalties was met with a groan as the crowd wanted more of the same.
But it was the City supporters who headed home happy as Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Zinchenko and Jesus all found the target from the spot. Juventus forward Dybala at Old Trafford.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is now looking at other targets after a potential swap deal involving Lukaku for Dybala proved impossible.
Lukaku could still be on his way out, with Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte saying he’s still “very hopeful” of getting a deal done.
But the Dybala (inset) breakdown is a real blow.
It emerged that one of the major sticking points was Dybala’s complex contract demands involving a wrangle his image rights.
Juventus had been keen to sell the Argentine ace, who has also interested Tottenham, while also bringing in Lukaku.
But Inter have not given up on Lukaku, although it remains to be seen if United will let the Belgian go if they are not now making a signing.
Inter boss Conte said: “We continue to work on it in the best possible way.
“I understand there are some gaps that need to be filled but at the moment I am very hopeful that this will happen.
“For sure Lukaku, we are talking about a good player, a striker that in the past I tried to buy when I was Chelsea’s coach.”
The Maguire deal is expected to be confirmed today and yesterday he watched his new United team-mates train. over