Premier League: Liverpool hold Man City, Haaland scores fastest 50 league goals
Nov 25, 2023
Liverpool halt Manchester City's impressive 23-match winning streak at the Etihad Stadium with a 1-1 draw in their highly anticipated clash. Trent Alexander-Arnold's 80th-minute goal restored a point for Juergen Klopp's side, keeping them just one point behind the league leaders in the frightening tight contested Premier League title race.
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City took the lead in the first half through Erling Haaland, who also became the fastest player to score 50 goals in the league. However, Liverpool fall on a missed opportunity by Haaland to equalize. With immediate response, Alexander-Arnold expertly found the back of the net, response shot City's goalkeeper Ederson.
This draw marked the end of City's impressive winning run at the Etihad Stadium, spanning across all competitions under Pep Guardiola's guidance. With 29 points from 13 games, City still hold the top spot in the table, while Liverpool remain close behind with 28 points. Additionally, Arsenal has the chance to claim the top spot if they secure a victory against Brentford later in the day.
In the 27th minute, Haaland scored the first goal of the match with a low shot from the edge of the box.
Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson made a mistake with a clearance, allowing Nathan Ake to intercept the ball and pass it to Haaland.
Despite Alisson managing to touch the shot, Haaland skillfully turned and fired the ball into the bottom corner, leaving no doubt about where it would end up.
This goal was significant as it marked Haaland's 50th goal in only 48 games, surpassing the previous record held by Andy Cole, who achieved the same milestone in 65 games.
Haaland's father, Alf-Inge, a former Manchester City player, was seen celebrating enthusiastically in the executive seats with a double fist pump.
On the field, Haaland was surrounded by his teammates in blue shirts, jubilant after giving their team the advantage against one of their closest rivals for the title this season.
However, his failure to convert in the second half led to regrets as Liverpool punished City.
In the 70th minute, Alisson had another fortunate break when he fumbled a corner, but Ruben Dias was able to capitalize and score. Despite a VAR check, the referee's decision to award a soft free-kick to Alisson remained unchanged.
Manager Klopp made substitutions in an attempt to spark a response, bringing on Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, and Ryan Gravenberch.
Diaz who played a part in Liverpool's equalizer against the run of play. Ten minutes before full-time, he found Salah, who then set up Alexander-Arnold for an impressive goal into the bottom corner.
City pushed for a victory in an additional eight minutes of play but were unable to win at home for the first time since December 31 of last year.
According to Alexander-Arnold, this was an important point for Liverpool, who finished fifth in the previous year.
"We haven't had many good results here overall. But this is a point gained," Alexander-Arnold expressed to Sky Sports.
While it wasn't a phenomenal display from Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold noted that there were positives and opportunities to secure the win.
Klopp, the Liverpool manager, regarded the outcome as a positive one for his team in a challenging playing environment.
"It's no coincidence that they have such a high number of home victories. It's a place where you have to be prepared to endure. Their quality and fluidity in movement demonstrate their tactical understanding."
"We are still progressing, and if we had performed exceptionally well today, we could have won. Unfortunately, we only played decently," Klopp added.
On the other hand, Pep Guardiola, the City manager, expressed satisfaction with his team's performance despite the unfavorable outcome.
Guardiola praised the team's outstanding performance against a highly skilled and formidable opponent. He highlighted the excellent play across all areas of the field, including the defense and goalkeeper's involvement in the build-up.
Guardiola commended the team for conceding just two shots on target, which is indicative of their hard work. He also acknowledged Erling's impressive goal and header. Overall, Guardiola expressed his satisfaction and pride in the team's continued ability to perform at a high level for many years.
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