Liverpool 2-2 Manchester City
After being thumped 3-0 on the opening day of the season many, including myself had real fear for Liverpool as reigning Premier League champions Manchester City came to visit in the late kick off on Sunday. Although City themselves hadn't looked particularly good on their opening league fixture they had managed to defeat Southampton 3-2 in a very fun to watch fixture.
Things started badly for Brendon Rodgers' side with Lucas going off injured inside the first 5 minutes however Liverpool showed a real unity and drive and looked like a team with a point to prove. Lead by the Midfield pairing of Steven Gerrard and new signing Joe Allen, Liverpool quickly looked like the better team and with their wing backs raiding forward it seemed only a matter of team before the Red's would take the lead. Liverpool would eventually take the lead in around 34 minutes into the game thanks to a rocket header by Martin Skrtel following a Liverpool corner.
Going into half time Brendon Rodgers would have felt the job was half done, Liverpool had not only taken the lead but bossed the game and looked to be in charge. Their lead was undone around 20 minutes into the second half as Carlos Tevez's cross was finished off by Yaya Toure thanks to some very poor defending by Liverpool who appeared to switch off and were punished as a result.
It would take Liverpool just 3 minutes retake the lead as a Luis Suarez free kick from just outside the penalty area was perfectly placed into the bottom corner giving Joe Hart no chance at all. It was once again looking like Liverpool were in charge and they came close to going 3-1 up on a number of occasions though couldn't finish any of the chances off.
With 10 minutes of the match left Martin Skrtel went from hero to zero as he passed to Carlos Tevez who had no issues in going around Pepe Reina to equalise once more. From then on the game turned into an end-to-end struggle with both teams attacking hard looking for a winner though no one could score the decisive goal to seal 3 points.
Liverpool fans should be very happy at the performance, it was a massive improvement from their opening fixture however they will also feel massively disappointed by taking the 3 points from the match. They were the better team and they created the better chances however they twice shot themselves in the foot for the 2 Manchester City goals which were pretty much gifts for city. It'll be a bittersweet day for both Brendon Rodgers and Martin Skrtel, however the positives were there for Liverpool. Gerrard, Suarez, Allen and youngster Raheem Sterling were all excellent and hardly put a foot wrong between them, the team passed wonderfully and looked much like the team that Rodgers would have been wanting them to be. If they continue to improve they could be a very good team, however if this was just a case of "playing up to the champions" then I'd worry, sadly however we won't know about that for at least another week.
For Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini he will be very happy at earning a point here, though he will certainly see this as a point given to them rather than one they truly deserved. Up front they look good, Tevez came close with a shot that rolled across the line and though the strikers rarely got solid chances as the Liverpool defense held them well they looked like they had goals in them. Yaya Toure was again impressive (then again when isn't he?) and after coming on Jack Rodwell, Edin Dzeko and David Silva all changed the flow of the game. Sadly however the talking point about City isn't there attackers but instead their defense which again conceded two goals. This will need to be tightened up and soon if City are going to retain the Premier League title, you simply cannot expect to score 3 goals a game just to win matches. If they can sort out at the back then they certainly should be able to retain the title, if they keep conceding then they are really going to be in trouble
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