Key events
71 min: So much noise from the Liverpool fans. The home end emptying.
70 min: City have been full of effort, and full of possession, but with nothing like the penetration. Doku has the latest attempt, the ball spinning up and making it hard to get any purchase on the shot.
68 min: By the way, Kevin De Bruyne’s painful race is run. James McAtee has replaced him. That was sad to see.
67 min: Doku is fouled. The ball is zipped towards Marmoush and – just – cleared. Then, Diaz shields the ball from four City defenders.
65 min: Ian Magilton: “Re: minute 60, isn’t Salah older than De Bruyne?
Answer: no.
64 min: Mac Allister zings in a corner, and it’s cleared. De Bruyne wins the ball in midfield, determined to show it’s not yet over. There will be new champions if it stays like this.
62 min: Kristof gets in touch: “Regarding City´s exceptional crumbling, has anyone yet come out with the theory that the players maybe just really resent Pep? They famously dipped in form once he signed his new contract extension, and I could totally see the dressing room be like “Shit, he STAYIN?!”. JUST A THEORY!”
Andy Flintoff: “One link from that Bournemouth game and today is that Nathan Aké (who scored the stoppage-time winner in 2016) is in City’s back line this afternoon.”
Maybe, just maybe?
61 min: Liverpool want a third. Salah is buzzing all over the place. He wants this done, so he can get the contract he wants. Perhaps that’s a bit of projection but much to be decided beyond the pitch at the club.
60 min: As Salah glides and glitters, poor KDB slips and slides and concedes a corner. Poor Kev. Age and nature are the cruellest.
59 min: Liverpool were celebrating as if the title was won, but now have to right themselves.
58 min: City – reprieved – almost score immediately as Doku and Marmoush threaten. The ball is cleared. It almost became 1-2 from 3-0 down.
Liverpool goal chalked off by VAR
But…Szoboszlai sent away, and Jones scores….City cut to ribbons but the Hungarian was offside….
56 min: Almost a beautiful move. Alisson sends off Salah, down the centre, and his ball almost finds Diaz. Khusanov – somehow – clears….
54 min: Foden – also well, well, off it – loses the ball and Liverpool spring into action. Though instead of the wildcat attack they choose patience. Salah and Szoboszlai attempt a switch-back but it’s cleared. Poor Khusanov is being thrown from the deepest of ends.
52 min: City continue to dominate the ball. But it’s sterile, powderpuff stuff. Liverpool set off at speed. Salah attempts to shoot with the outside of his boot. He scored like that at Bournemouth. Was it a cross? Robertson hoiks it back over and City eventually clear.
51 min: It’s still quiet at City. De Bruyne aims a pass at Savinho but it’s poor. It’s painful to see, like the shot he had at the end of the first half. Feels like he’s being exposed to live up to Guardiola’s suggestion his time has come. Football can be so cruel.
49 min: Savinho wriggles, and Doku weaves. Both continue to be lively. Van Dijk steps into Marmoush’s shot.
48 min: It’s been quiet so far. Liverpool staying in defensive shape, Marmoush having the ball headed away by a towering Konate.
46 min: Can City come back? We’re in for a hell of a half if they do. They begin their Herculean task with a spell of passing. We are told the last time Liverpool lost a game they were 2-0 up was Bournemouth in 2016. I was there, one hell of a rewrite required.
It’s been a big day in the North.
The half-time emails:
Stephen McCrossan: “Salah is clearly brilliant (thought I’d display my searing football insight there) but surely Gvardiol should be doing a bit more against him for the second goal. That was just pathetic.”
Justin Kavanagh: “The decline of Kevin De Bruyne debate today is very interesting. I’ve no idea what makes him tick, as an individual, but what he said about Belgium before the last World Cup (that they were too old to win it) seemed to point to either a/ a complete realist or b/ a man not much given to raging against the dying of the light. Depends which way you look at it, I suppose.”
Zach Neeley: “Salah’s also closing in on the goals+assists record. Alan Shearer had 47 in a season (and that was 42 matches) Salah is on 41 now. Good bet to have most goal involvements in league history and on an expiring contract…”
Ben Wilkinson: “It’s almost like City don’t realise Haaland isn’t on the field. They keep putting crosses into the box, but there’s no one there to meet them.”
Joe Pearson: “I may be mistaken, but it felt like KDB passed more to Liverpool players than his City teammates.”
Peter Oh: “Is Noel Gallagher in the house? It must be so hard for him to watch City Slide Away. He’ll be doing the Poznan of disgust if this keeps up.”
Half-time: Manchester City 0-2 Liverpool
Liverpool hands are almost on the title after that half. Controlled in defence, two shots on target and two goals, a highly efficient half. City have not given up but their hopes of hauling back their old enemy look all but lost. As it stands, Liverpool have 11 points on Arsenal.
45 min: Doku out right now – why not? – and wins another corner. There’s no way through at the moment. De Bruyne attempts to get involved but is brushed aside. He’s had a painful half, full of effort, so lacking in the old magic. Two minutes were added on to the half.
43 min: De Bruyne whips in a cross; that’s cleared with ease. City just not able to find the angles that can trouble Liverpool.
42 min: Everywhere City turn, there’s a red shirt waiting.
40 min: City trying to rescue something. Konate celebrates as he concedes a corner…Robertson heads that away but chooses not to celebrate.
38 min: Oh dear, City. That flush is busting. Marmoush rather theatrically wins a free-kick but the ball is cleared. De Bruyne – again – didn’t step up to take it.
Goal! Manchester City 0-2 Liverpool (Szoboszlai, 37)
De Bruyne gets back to read Robertson’s pass to Diaz but can’t set up a counter. The ball eventually goes back to the right. Salah strides on, and plays in Szoboszlai for a simple finish. City’s defenders drawn out, nowhere near the ball.
36 min: Liverpool retaining possession. Slot-ball in action, reminiscent of the 1980s, sans backpass. The City fans are getting through much booing.
34 min: Here come Liverpool. Diaz out to Salah, reverse pass to Trent, and Ake clears in desperation. Mac Allister takes the corner. Konate can’t get to it.
33 min: The City fans booing, the suspicion being that Mac Allister is breaking up their momentum. He looks genuinely groggy.
31 min: MacAllister got trampled on as Marmoush piled through. Concussion? Both managers up and issuing instructions. Curtis Jones getting plenty from Arne.
City have the ball in the net but offside!
Marmoush sent away, sharp finish, off the post and in. He just misread the timing. Flag on the play.
30 min: Savinho fouled by Szoboszlai, free-kick that De Bruyne doesn’t fancy taking. Foden goes for glory, rather pointlessly. It’s City’s decision-making that is different.
28 min: Doku is the outlet again but Liverpool are overloading him. Getting men across to him. Twice, his crosses are blocked. He’s also a little hesitant to hit the byline.
26 min: Salah, with power and vision, almost sends away Diaz. As Gary Neville says on the Sky broadcast, he is better than ever. Untouchable this season, nobody even close.
24 min: Gene Salorio: “Watching DeBruyne reminds me, sadly, of Modric in the 4-0 semi-final drubbing City handed Real Madrid in 2023. Great player but clearly not at the level needed against that opponent, still good enough to play a role at the top but not as a central element of the team.”
Modric scored a fine goal today. But, the point stands. KDB may not see the second half at this rate.
23 min: A rare move down the left and Diaz just overdoes it. City clear hurriedly. Nunez and Jota are sat on the bench, Darwin chewing and looking a bit sulky.
22 min: Salah, seemingly annoyed by Doku’s dancing, runs back to concede a corner. That’s poor from Marmoush as Alexander-Arnold clears. Eventually, off the left, Marmoush has a shot. No problem for Alisson.
21 min: Doku on a gallop, past Alexander-Arnold, and then attempting a pass inwards to Foden. That overload attempted again and again. City appear to lack sophistication. Has Pep been spending too much time with Neil Warnock?
19 min: Chris gets in touch: “If one had to summarize the decline of Kevin de Bruyne’s play in one moment, you could do worse than showing a replay of that attempted pass to a wide open Doku that went to TAA instead shortly before the goal.”
He’s always been a player of percentages and risks. Now it’s a risk playing him. Sad, because at his best there have been few to compare.
17 min: Now, can City respond? The wounded animal or the busted flush? Arne Slot is watching replays of the goal. Well-worked, to say the least.
16 min: City can’t say they weren’t warned. Salah is the best in the business and they allowed themselves to lose possession and then let him go at a corner. That’s poor.
15 min: It came off Ake but that was quick-thinking by Szoboszlai, who smashes over to Salah. You know the rest. His 30th of the season, the talisman strikes.
Goal! Manchester City 0-1 Liverpool (Salah, 15)
Yes, guess who.
