Manchester City vs Liverpool. Premier League.
Etihad StadiumAttendance54,449.
Monday 20 March 2017 06:08, UK
Manchester City are now 12 points behind Chelsea in the Premier League title race after a pulsating 1-1 draw with Liverpool at the Etihad on Super Sunday.
Fernandinho missed a sitter for City at the far post during an even first half, before James Milner gave Liverpool the lead from the penalty spot after Roberto Firmino was brought down by Gael Clichy.
Sergio Aguero levelled for City with 21 minutes remaining, converting Kevin De Bruyne's fine cross after a trademark run into the box, but Liverpool had arguably the best chance to win it when Adam Lallana somehow failed to convert from Firmino's touch across the face of goal.
The result means that with 30 points to play for, City end the weekend further adrift of Chelsea, while Liverpool stay fourth.
Pep Guardiola made two changes from the side that lost in Monaco, bringing back Yaya Toure and Nicolas Otamendi for Bacary Sagna and Aleksandar Kolarov, while Liverpool were unchanged.
City started the brighter and had the first half chance as David Silva struck wide after Leroy Sane's cross was blocked by Simon Mignolet.
At the other end, Sadio Mane raced free from Otamendi with just Willy Caballero to beat, but the defender made up ground well and did enough to put off the Liverpool man, whose effort was blocked.
Mane appealed for a penalty, but he seemed to kick the back of Otamendi's foot as Michael Oliver waved play on.
Coutinho shot just over moments later, before City missed a sitter with five minutes of the half remaining.
After Silva had ran in-behind the Liverpool defence, his centre evaded Raheem Sterling, before Fernandinho diverted the ball wide despite having most of the open goal to aim at.
City had a legitimate call for a penalty turned down during the incident, with Milner looking to catch Sterling as he attempted to convert past Mignolet.
Caballero then kept the game level before the break with two quickfire saves from Lallana and Firmino.
Liverpool took the lead six minutes into the second half through Milner's penalty, after Firmino had been bundled over by Clichy inside the box as he chested down Emre Can's ball over the top of the defence.
Milner, who signed for Liverpool from Man City, sent Caballero the wrong way in front of the travelling fans.
Liverpool nearly had a second just after the hour mark, but Caballero raced out well to block Firmino's low effort as the visitors broke free.
City levelled in the 69th minute through Aguero, who latched onto De Bruyne's superb low cross from the right to drill past Mignolet from close range, his seventh goal in seven games.
De Bruyne then hit the post from 10 yards after Aguero slipped while attempting to finish off a fine move inside the area, before Liverpool missed a sitter of their own through Lallana, who fluffed his effort from Firmino's centre with just Caballero to beat eight yards out.
Aguero came so close to winning it for City on two occasions, first poking the ball over at the near post, and again blazing over the bar in stoppage time from De Bruyne's deft ball.
Player ratings
Man City: Caballero (6), Fernandinho (6), Stones (6), Otamendi (6), Clichy (5), Yaya Toure (5), Sane (6), De Bruyne (7), Silva (7), Sterling (6), Aguero (7).
Subs: Sagna (4), Fernando (NA)
Liverpool: Mignolet (6), Clyne (6), Matip (6), Klavan (6), Milner (7), Can (6), Wijnaldum (6), Lallana (6), Mane (8), Coutinho (5), Firmino (6).
Subs: Origi (5), Lucas (NA)
Man of the match: Sadio Mane
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