In the high-stakes clash in the Premier League, Manchester City failed to seal a win against Liverpool as Trent Alexander-Arnold's late equaliser salvaged a crucial point for the Reds at the Etihad.
Despite the match not reaching the dramatic heights of previous encounters, City seized the lead when Erling Haaland capitalised on a blunder from Liverpool keeper Alisson as his attempted long pass to Mohamed Salah got to Nathan Ake, who beat two Liverpool players before providing an assist for Haaland to score his 50th Premier League goal in his 48th match.
Pep Guardiola and his Cityzens thought they had increased the lead when Ruben Dias’s effort hit the net, but the defender’s goal was disallowed for a foul on goalkeeper Alisson. However, in the 80th minute, right-back Alexander-Arnold exploited City's failure to put the game to bed, unleashing a crisp, low strike from the edge of the 18-yard box to make it 1-1.
In a defensive struggle against the lively winger Jeremy Doku, Alexander-Arnold showcased his defensive mettle before delivering a match-saving moment. With both sides sharing the spoils, Arsenal are now top of the English top flight standings, one point clear of City in second and two points above Liverpool currently in third spot.
We missed the last pass - Guardiola
City boss Guardiola speaking to BBC's Match of the Day said: "That was an excellent performance. I am really proud that after eight years we are still playing that way. We were really good in all departments and needed to be against an incredible team. Maybe we missed the last pass a little bit but they defended really well. To concede just two shots on target against Liverpool is a big compliment for the way we work.
"[Erling Haaland's goal] It was really good and the action from Nathan [Ake] was perfect. We know the quality of Erling."
Klopp - We could have won
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp stated: "If we had played really well, we could have won. This is a really tough place to come and it is not a coincidence they have won I don't know how many in a row at home. They are a super team.
"When we had our football moments, we immediately created [chances]. Did we do that often enough? No. Can we play better? Definitely. And we will. But for today, this was a super important experience for the group.
"It has been a tough week for the boys and then coming here to play a game against a team that really makes you suffer is not cool. It was difficult to stay in the game, but we had our moments and I like that a lot. It is a good point and I am absolutely fine with it."
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