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The longer a run goes, Jurgen Klopp had said, the more likely it would end. And if it appeared like wishful thinking when he delivered the thought, a day earlier, events \u2013 and Trent Alexander-Arnold \u2013 made the Liverpool manager sound prophetic 24 hours later. Manchester City had won every game at the Etihad Stadium in 2023, every match since a rather less celebrated manager, Frank Lampard, earned a 1-1 draw with a rather less talented Everton team.<\/p>\n
Almost 11 months later, Klopp and Liverpool secured the same result, halting City\u2019s winning run on their own turf at 23 matches \u2013 one short of the English record set by Sunderland in the 1890s \u2013 and keeping the gap between these two teams at one point. There still seems to be a title race whereas, if City had pulled four points clear of their perennial challengers, there was the danger they would disappear into the distance.<\/p>\n
And if Klopp had further proof of his side\u2019s powers of recovery – the specialists in coming from behind this season got another point after trailing \u2013 he reaped a reward of sorts for his own pragmatism, an equaliser coming after Liverpool had looked uncharacteristically timid. This was not heavy-metal football, not the full-throttle gegenpressing that made this rivalry so compelling or which gave Liverpool a unique ability to eviscerate City.<\/p>\n
Instead, it was a cautious Klopp: perhaps scarred by a 4-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium in April, maybe fearful that, lacking a natural defensive midfielder, his team could be exposed if they afforded City space.<\/p>\n
And so Liverpool came to contain, looking to keep the game tight. The high press was often eschewed in favour of a lower block, the compactness coming from players grouped together in their own half.<\/p>\n
It meant there was an anomaly in the equaliser. There were times when Liverpool attacked only with their forwards, reluctant to commit players forward. But with the clock ticking down, Mohamed Salah found support from Alexander-Arnold, teed him up and the vice-captain connected with unerring precision, driving a shot in from the edge of the box.<\/p>\n
If a foray forward represented rare respite for him \u2013 the right-back had spent more time preoccupied by his duel with the irrepressible Jeremy Doku \u2013 he preserved Klopp\u2019s winning record against Guardiola. After 29 meetings, the score remains 12-11 in the German\u2019s favour.<\/p>\n
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That he has not tasted victory at the Etihad in the Premier League in the Catalan\u2019s reign is a sign of how welcome this result nevertheless was.<\/p>\n
And if it was a reminder that even great rivalries contain matches that fall some way short of greatness, the sense of anti-climax will be felt by City. They led for 53 minutes, could have doubled their advantage, had a goal disallowed and yet drew; as in their defeat at Arsenal, it indicated the absences of Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan, one for half a season, the other permanently, may have deprived them of the extra quality that could make a difference in such defining clashes.<\/p>\n
They did, however, still have Erling Haaland. Even as City did not set a record, Haaland did. He became the quickest player to 50 Premier League goals, getting there 17 matches earlier than Andy Cole, the previous best; he is the fastest to many a landmark.<\/p>\n
But with the galaxy of attacking talent on display, there was something illogical that a Nathan Ake solo run would be pivotal to the breakthrough. So was an Alisson error, his second sliced kick of the afternoon; the first found Phil Foden, who shot tamely at the goalkeeper. The second went to Ake, who slalomed between three defenders and found Haaland. Alisson took the sting out of his shot, but it still rolled in.<\/p>\n
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Briefly, City thought they had another goal. Alisson\u2019s awkward afternoon continued when Ruben Dias had a goal disallowed after the goalkeeper fumbled Julian Alvarez\u2019s corner as Manuel Akanji bundled into him.<\/p>\n
Yet there was redemption of sorts for Alisson. The Brazilian produced a fine save to tip Foden\u2019s low drive wide. He made a brilliant point-blank block from Haaland, a minute before Alexander-Arnold equalised. There could have been a winner for Haaland, flashing a header wide in the 97th minute.<\/p>\n
But, with Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk excelling defensively, Liverpool frustrated City for swathes of the game. There was one irrepressible exception. Doku was the outlet, with a jink and a trick. He was the supplier when Haaland perhaps should have scored a second.<\/p>\n
Perhaps predictably, it proved a turning point. Until then, only Darwin Nunez, who remains incapable of staying quiet, had posed a threat. Ederson had made a hat-trick of saves from the Uruguayan, clawing a header over, tipping two shots wide. But Alisson saved from Haaland, Alexander-Arnold went forward and, once again, Klopp had frustrated Guardiola.<\/p>\n
That irritation may have been apparent in a final-whistle altercation with Nunez. But Guardiola has long described Klopp\u2019s Liverpool as his toughest opponent. Even as they changed tack and adopted a more restrained approach, they justified that billing.<\/p>\n