Liverpool came from behind twice against on Sunday, with the Premier League title race set to go down to the wire after an entertaining and end-to-end 2-2 draw at the Etihad.
’s side will retain their one-point advantage at the top of the table though might rue their profligacy in a match they largely dominated, spurning a host of chances – particularly in the first half – against a gritty and dogged Liverpool side.
The hosts made an electric start to the match, penning Liverpool back inside their own half, and took the lead after just five minutes through Kevin De Bruyne whose deflected effort from the edge of the box flicked off Joel Matip and evaded the fingertips of Alisson.
But their lead did not even last 10 minutes, with Liverpool scoring after their first meaningful period of possession in the match; a cross to the back post from Andy Robertson was cutely pulled back by Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota was on hand to tuck home.
That goal came against the run of play, though, and did little to change the flow of the match, with Liverpool’s high line conceding plenty of chances and the back-line looking uncharacteristically jittery.
De Bruyne very nearly doubled his tally after excellent work down the left from Joao Cancelo, but sent his effort just wide of the post, while the Portuguese full-back went close himself moments later.
City did eventually get the goal their good play had merited with Cancelo again involved, this time playing a superb cross to the back post where unexpected starter Gabriel Jesus was on hand to bury the ball past Alisson off the underside of the crossbar.
Guardiola’s side had plenty of chances to extend their lead before the break, with Raheem Sterling a whisker away from connecting with a superb cross, though Liverpool still showed flashes of danger at the other end with Jota guilty of wasting a two-on-one opportunity.
Jurgen Klopp would have demanded a response at half-time and he got exactly that within a minute of the restart, with Mohamed Salah playing in Sadio Mane who slammed the ball into the top corner to level the scores for a second time.
Suddenly a fired-up Liverpool were pressing higher, winning their duels and cutting open City’s defence, but their own back-line still looked vulnerable to balls in behind as the hosts slowly retook control.
Sterling thought he had regained the lead with a sniping run and finish only for the goal to be chalked off by VAR for offside, while Gabriel Jesus wasted a great opportunity after getting in behind when he opted to ignore better placed team-mates and shot from an acute angle instead.
The match lost some of its tempo and urgency in the closing stages, becoming a scrappy, feisty and nervy affair, but there was still time for substitute Riyad Mahrez to strike the outside of the post with a 30-yard free-kick before scooping a late effort over the bar with Alisson stranded.
With Liverpool still needing to play Manchester United, Merseyside rivals Everton and free-scoring Tottenham – and City having won all their corresponding fixtures last season – the title advantage may well lie with the reigning champions despite not coming away with all three points on Sunday.
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