Date: Thursday 26 December 2013
Kick Off: 17:30
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Competition: Barclays Premier League
Referee: Lee Mason (Greater Manchester)
Broadcast: BT Sport 1, 17:15
LINKS
http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=232242
Manchester City overcame Liverpool in controversial circumstances on Boxing Day as they claimed a narrow victory.
City started the game very well and put the Liverpool defence under extreme pressure, but Liverpool eventually settled and starting taking control themselves.
Raheem Sterling was bizarrely ruled offside when he was actually about two yards on as he rounded Joe Hart to score. But the Reds took the lead shortly afterwards when Luis Suarez flicked the ball through for Sterling, but Philippe Coutinho darted round outside him and slotted it into the net.
However, Liverpool's lead lasted just seven minutes as City levelled from a corner kick. David Silva whipped the ball in from the left and Vincent Kompany headed it down into the ground and it bounced into the roof of the net.
Liverpool recovered and started looking to take the lead again but it was City who took the lead on the stroke of half time in fortuitous circumstances. Following a break, Jesus Navas found Alvaro Negredo and his poor attempted chip over Simon Mignolet was fumbled by the goalkeeper and it bounced into the net.
In the second half, Liverpool had a number of chances to equalise as firstly Glen Johnson tried to control the ball at a tight angle from goal when he may have been better putting his boot through it. And later, the ball was crossed for Sterling who only managed to blaze it horrendously over the bar.
Suarez has a couple of decent penalty shouts turned down in the second half, firstly when he was barged over by Joleon Lescott, and later when he had his shirt pulled and was again barged over in the box, but referee Lee Mason was not interested.
In the end, Liverpool had to accept defeat that leaves them in fourth place, three points from the top of the league. But they can at least be proud of their overall performance at a venue that has proved to be a source of embarrassment for a number of teams this season.
LIVE SCOREBOARD
MAN CITY - 2
Kompany 31'
Negredo 45+1'
LIVERPOOL - 1
Coutinho 24'
LEAGUE POSITIONS AS IT STANDS
2. Man City - Pld 18, W 12, D 2, L 4, F 53, A 21, GD 32, Pts 38
4. Liverpool - Pld 18, W 11, D 3, L 4, F 43, A 21, GD 22, Pts 36
TEAMS
Man City
1 Hart
5 Zabaleta
4 Kompany
6 Lescott
13 Kolarov
25 Fernandinho
42 Toure
15 Navas
21 Silva (Garcia 87')
8 Nasri (Milner 72')
9 Negredo (Dzeko 77')
Subs
30 Pantilimon
7 Milner
10 Dzeko
14 Garcia
22 Clichy
33 Nastasic
38 Boyata
Liverpool
22 Mignolet
2 Johnson
37 Skrtel
17 Sakho
20 Cissokho
21 Lucas (Aspas 82')
24 Allen
31 Sterling
14 Henderson
10 Coutinho (Moses 68' )
7 Suarez
Subs
1 B Jones
4 Toure
5 Agger
6 Alberto
9 Aspas
12 Moses
44 Smith
KEY UPDATES
24: GOAL - MAN CITY 0-1 LIVERPOOL
Luis Suarez flicks the ball through on the left of goal for Raheem Sterling who runs forward with it, but Philippe Coutinho (2) comes up outside him to slot it into the net.
31: GOAL - MAN CITY 1-1 LIVERPOOL
Man City win a corner kick on the left which David Silva crosses in for Vincent Kompany (2) who heads it down and it bounces into the roof of the net.
45+1: GOAL - MAN CITY 2-1 LIVERPOOL
Man City break and Samir Nasri plays it to Jesus Navas, who feeds it to Alvaro Negredo (14), and he looks to lift it over Simon Mignolet who should have saved it, but he only succeeds in helping it into the net.
68: LIVERPOOL BOOKING
Glen Johnson receives a yellow card (2) for a foul on Aleksandar Kolarov.
68: LIVERPOOL SUBSTITUTION
Philippe Coutinho is replaced by Victor Moses.
72: MAN CITY SUBSTITUTION
Samir Nasri is replaced by James Milner.
77: MAN CITY SUBSTITUTION
Alvaro Negredo is replaced by Edin Dzeko.
81: MAN CITY BOOKING
Pablo Zabaleta receives a yellow card (4) for a foul on Victor Moses.
82: LIVERPOOL SUBSTITUTION
Lucas is replaced by Iago Aspas.
86: LIVERPOOL BOOKING
Victor Moses receives a yellow card (1) for a foul on Pablo Zabaleta.
87: MAN CITY SUBSTITUTION
David Silva is replaced by Javi Garcia.
90+1: LIVERPOOL BOOKING
Luis Suarez receives a yellow card (2) for a foul on Joe Hart.
LAST MATCHES
Man City
Saturday 21 December 2013
Barclays Premier League
Fulham 2-4 Man City
Liverpool
Saturday 21 December 2013
Barclays Premier League
Liverpool 3-1 Cardiff
Head to head
Sunday 3 February 2013
Barclays Premier League
Man City 2-2 Liverpool
TOP SCORERS
Man City
Sergio Aguero - 19
Alvaro Negredo - 14
Yaya Toure - 11
Liverpool
Luis Suarez - 19
Daniel Sturridge - 11
Raheem Sterling - 4
FT: MAN CITY 2-1 LIVERPOOL
posted on 26/12/13
comment by englandwhoelse (U16825)
posted less than a minute ago
The referees assistant for disallowed sterling goal was a cheat.. because it was predetermined mindset from the off.Oh my god Raheem Sterling looks like scoring.. mental programme goes into action . Nope its not going to happen. Up goes the flag.
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<TINFOILHAT>
posted on 26/12/13
comment by englandwhoelse (U16825)
posted 2 minutes ago
The referees assistant for disallowed sterling goal was a cheat.. because it was predetermined mindset from the off.Oh my god Raheem Sterling looks like scoring.. mental programme goes into action . Nope its not going to happen. Up goes the flag.
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Erm-just-erm!!!!!
posted on 26/12/13
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 26/12/13
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 26/12/13
why erm at that.. we all know its true.. some of the decision making today from the officials were questionable. If my team deserved to lose and it was fair game Id say so.. Anyway onto Chelsea.. I suspect the same thing will happen there aswell. a teeny weeny if no contact at all is made its a free kick against LFC.. but a genuine free kick around the box with be overlooked. hmm the one of Suarez near the end. you know where the ref had his wistle to his mouth knew it was a foul but then the predetermined mindset starts again.
posted on 26/12/13
This is a wum right?
posted on 26/12/13
Predetermined?! Come off it, if they really wanted to skew the game, then they could have easily given a penalty to city a couple of times.
You were unlucky with one key decision in particular today. Very unlucky. At the same time. Both teams but more so Liverpool were not clinical enough with the chances they had.
However, that shouldn't detract from the fact both teams played some excellent football at times and it was a really good game.
posted on 26/12/13
Disappointing result as that's probably the best anyone has played against them at the Etihad.
Sakho was extremely poor. I know BR doesn't like Agger for his defensive work at set pieces but it can't be any worse than Skrtel's. I'd put Agger back in as he's better on the ball than Sakho, whose distribution was abysmal for a period tonight.
Fancy us to do a number on Chelsea on Sunday, think we could get a few goals possibly a 3-1 win.
Officials were poor for both teams. We could have had pens against us 2/3 times and we should have had one at the other end, maybe 2 if Lescott's foul on Suarez was inside.
Still, not overly concerned after tonight and as long as we come away with some from the Bridge and a win at home to Hull, we'll still be in the top four and it will have been a pretty positive festive period in my opinion.
posted on 26/12/13
It was a fantastic game. I'm very proud of the way we played.
However, with the ref was a bit of a on some big decisions for us tonight and ultimately cost us points.
posted on 26/12/13
LAL