City dent Reds' title hopes

Liverpool dropped more points in the Premier League title race following a 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Sunday.

Benitez's side sit seven points behind United

Liverpool provided a snapshot of their season on Sunday as they dropped more points in the Premier League title race following a 1-1 draw with Manchester City. Build-up to the fixture had been overshadowed by fresh speculation that Reds boss Rafa Benitez is still refusing to sign a new deal offered by the club's hierarchy, sparking rumours the former Valencia chief could be ready to walk away in the summer. And Benitez - whose next fixture is against Real Madrid, a club understood to be keen on his services, in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday - saw his side do little in an uninspiring first half to deflect from the rumours or suggest they were set to reduce Manchester United's eight-point lead at the top of the table. Liverpool have infamously struggled in the first 45 minutes of games this campaign and have been forced to come from behind on numerous occasions after dominating games, memorably against City at Eastlands in October. And the Reds again found themselves behind to City as Craig Bellamy returned to haunt his former employers, netting via a deflection off Alvaro Arbeloa in the 51st minute. Liverpool fought back as Dirk Kuyt prodded a 78th minute equaliser from Yossi Benayoun's cross, but Benitez's men could not find a winner to leave them sitting seven points behind United. Liverpool made four changes from the side that won at Portsmouth last time out. There was still no Steven Gerrard with his hamstring injury, while Lucas Leiva, back from suspension, Fernando Torres, Dirk Kuyt and Albert Riera returned to the starting line-up in place of Ryan Babel, David Ngog, Fabio Aurelio and Daniel Agger. City - who have won away only once this season - made one enforced change from the side that drew 2-2 at FC Copenhagen in the Uefa Cup on Thursday, Nigel de Jong replacing the suspended Shaun Wright-Phillips. Despite being under plenty of early pressure, Shay Given was rarely called into action for the visitors, who will have pleased boss Mark Hughes with their performance.

Intense pressure

Riera headed wide from an Arbeloa cross, under intense pressure from Micah Richards. Then Jamie Carragher's long ball down the right was touched on by Benayoun for Torres to fire wide first time. Kuyt was next away on the right, with Richard Dunne clearing the near post cross from Riera's toes, while both Lucas and Benayoun failed to connect with crosses. The pressure mounted and Kuyt drove wide after being set up by Torres before Richards then chested away a Riera hook in the six-yard box. City had weathered Liverpool's early fire and eased their way into the game. They should have scored after 30 minutes when Andrea Dossena lost possession and the ball was switched immediately to Robinho. The little Brazilian had been very quiet in the early stages, but he jinked inside to lay a pass invitingly into Stephen Ireland's stride. The Irishman had a free run at Jose Reina, but the Spanish keeper blocked the first shot, with Ireland firing the rebound into the side netting. Torres set up Riera and Benayoun, both chances flying wide before Kuyt missed with a far-post header to end a frustrating half for Liverpool. Four minutes into the second period, City were ahead. Robinho fed the ball into the box for Vincent Kompany to turn it into the path of Bellamy. And the ex-Liverpool forward struck a 51st-minute shot from the corner of the penalty area that flicked off Arbeloa, but the effort was clearly on target and flew past Reina into the far corner.

Fierce

This was the fourth time this season that Bellamy has scored against a former club, having netted for West Ham against Newcastle and Blackburn, and for City also against Newcastle. Ireland had an effort disallowed for offside, Liverpool leaving gaps now as they went forward looking for an equaliser. Kompany was booked for a high challenge on Martin Skrtel, with Liverpool having brought on young winger Nabil El Zhar for Riera, with the Moroccan soon booked for a foul on Pablo Zabaleta. City, who had gradually grown into this game, started to look like a team which has had £120million spent on it in under a year. They flowed forward, looked fierce and committed, while Liverpool lacked the leadership of Gerrard. But the Reds responded with fight of their own. After 78 minutes Benayoun got away on the left and drove in a cross that Torres missed in the six-yard box, allowing Kuyt to force home the equaliser. Kuyt them drove past countryman De Jong, and cracked in a fierce 25-yarder that Given beat away. Given's next save, a close range block from Benayoun, was even better. But when Benayoun hurled himself at the rebound, the ball looked to hit Dunne's arm as it deflected away. Liverpool had Aurelio and Babel on for Dossena and Mascherano by now, a point just not good enough. City then took off Robinho and sent on Felipe Caicedo up front for the final minutes as Liverpool searched in vain for a leveller.

Liverpool	Team Statistics	Manchester City
1	Goals	1
0	1st Half Goals	0
3	Shots on Target	3
16	Shots off Target	5
4	Blocked Shots	2
6	Corners	4
10	Fouls	14
2	Offsides	1
1	Yellow Cards	2
0	Red Cards	0
79.5	Passing Success	68.8
33	Tackles	28
84.8	Tackles Success	89.3
60.8	Possession	39.2
50.3	Territorial Advantage	49.7