Man City 2-2 Liverpool: ‘Neither deserve to finish second’ – Alan Shearer
One of the best things about watching Sunday’s thrilling draw between Manchester City and Liverpool was knowing we get to see them do it all again at Wembley this weekend.
The football we saw at Etihad Stadium was ridiculously good and showed how far ahead of the rest of the Premier League these teams are.
I know the league table tells you there is a gap when you look at how many more points the top two have won – but I mean in terms of their level of performance, where there is a gulf in the standards they are setting compared to everyone below them. Quite simply, they are miles ahead.
I am talking about both teams and the relentless tempo they set: their energy, their intensity, their quality of play and the players’ hunger for victory – and the two great managers in Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp who are behind all of that.
They have been doing this for a while now, entertaining us with brilliant football whenever they meet and driving each other on to greater heights.
Now we all get to take a breath and look forward to watching them again on Saturday in the FA Cup semi-final, which is live on the BBC. These games just don’t disappoint and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
A draw was probably a fair result
We saw the same 2-2 scoreline when City went to Anfield in October and an almost identical game. Both sides felt they could have won it but had to settle for a point apiece.
City were the better team in the first half on Sunday, but the way Liverpool came back at them meant a draw was probably a fair result, even though Riyad Mahrez could have nicked it for City right at the end.
Guardiola’s side were a bit more direct than normal, to get around and behind Liverpool’s high defensive line, and they caused some problems with those balls over the top for their wide men to chase.
City could have been out of sight by the break – and perhaps should have been – but they missed some big chances and Liverpool were never just going to lie down anyway.
Lots of teams come to Etihad Stadium and sit in, but that is not Liverpool’s way and it won’t be at Wembley either.
Klopp wanted to try to be tight and compact, but he still tried to get plenty of men forward whenever Liverpool broke.
It meant there were opportunities at both ends and that kept everyone on the edge of their seats until the final whistle – myself included.
Neither manager will change their attacking style of play the next time they meet, though, and nor should they.
Both teams have such a strong identity and their players clearly believe in it, because it works. They stuck to it here, and that’s what helped make it such an entertaining game.
In terms of individual performances, Kevin de Bruyne was immense for City with the way he kept driving them forward, but it is the collective you have to admire, with both sides.
We are so lucky to have two absolutely world-class football teams, going toe-to-toe with one another, and with so much at stake.
