After a series of high scoring games, City were held to a draw against Liverpool.
The visitors opened the scoring with a header from Liam Millar, but the Blues fought back to level the scoreline thanks to Rabbi Matondo’s strike.
What happened
Paul Harsley made two changes from the side which sealed a 6-4 victory over West Ham, bringing in Daniel Grimshaw and Tyreke Wilson in place of Tom Scott and Eric Garcia.
Grimshaw took his place in goal shielded by a back four of Colin Rosler, skipper Joel Latibeaudiere, Nathanael Ogbeta and Wilson. Iker Pozo, Claudio Gomes and Adrian Bernabe were employed in midfield while Rabbi Matondo and Benjamin Garre flanked Nabil Touaizi up front.
The first half played out very differently from City’s dramatic games against Arsenal and West Ham. While 21 goals had been score in the previous games, it didn’t look as though the fans would see another eleven-goal thriller this time.
Both teams eased into the first half, with City and Liverpool remaining in third gear and reluctant to notch it up to the next level.
The first chance of the game fell to the visitors as Curtis Jones sprinted down the wing looking incredibly dangerous as he edged nearer to the area. The Liverpool No.11 then fired a thunderous shot at goal but Grimshaw caught the ball comfortably.
While there were few chances, there was plenty of flowing and slick football from City. A link-up between Matondo and Garre as they slalomed around the Liverpool defence looked to present a goal. Matondo had no option but to shoot as the Reds piled the pressure on, but Rabbi was unlucky as his shot was blocked.
As the half hour mark approached Pozo pinpointed last week’s hat-trick hero Nabil Touaizi and sent a curling cross towards him. Nabil managed to get on the end of it but it narrowly flew over the crossbar.
Five minutes before the half time whistle Liverpool thought they’d broken deadlock. Liam Miller launched forward to tap in Bobby Adekanye’s pass. Luckily for City the offside flag was firmly up and the goal didn’t stand.
Returning for the second half, it was the visitors who opened the scoring. Hungry for a goal after his first was ruled offside, Millar launched into the air to head in Rafael Camacho’s corner.
The goal saw the visitors grow with confidence and shift up a gear. The Blues responded well, with Bernabe cleverly sashaying around the Reds in the box and firing at goal. The attempt rebounded off the ‘keeper so our summer signing pushed on and went again but so too did opposition ‘keeper Kamil Grabara.
City’s equaliser came in the 75th minute as Matondo burst into action to coolly slot home a superb ball from Wilson. The Blues worked up until the final whistle but were unable to snatch another goal back.
Up next
The Blues will travel to Shrewbury Town on Tuesday 28 August in our opening Checkatrade Trophy, kick-off at 7pm.
