Summary: City held off a Liverpool side that had more of the play but failed to break down the Blues’ resolute defence, who kept the fourth clean sheet in the current five game unbeaten run. Emile Mpenza went close with a header in the first half, DaMarcus Beasley rattled the crossbar deep into the second period, and City had a well-deserved point against Rafa Benitez’s star-studded side.
Team news: City were unchanged from the side that started at Craven Cottage.
There was no sign of the visitors taking it easy as they looked to cement a Champions League spot for next season, with Gerrard, Mascherano, Finnan and Carragher all back after being rested for the PSV game. Bellamy was out with a knee injury, so Kuyt led the line alone.
The Match
On a hot and sunny afternoon there was a sense of expectation in the air from both sets of fans, with Liverpool bringing a full contingent along the M62. Pre-match activities saw world light welterweight boxing champion Ricky Hatton interviewed pitch-side, the City fan earning an ovation from the entire crowd.
The game fell on the day before the 18th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, and Joey Barton laid a wreath of flowers in front of Liverpool’s fans as a mark of respect to the 96 who lost their lives that day.
Jermaine Pennant had the game’s first decent chance after five minutes, slipping in inside Ball and trying to flick the ball past Isaksson, but the Swedish keeper flung a hand out to keep the scores level. Mpenza broke away at the other end to find Johnson, but City’s teenaged midfielder just could not quite worry Reina in Liverpool’s goal.
Sylvain Distin was in just the right place three minutes later to cut out a probing Riise cross just in front of the advancing Kuyt.
City had the best chance so far after just 10 minutes, Vassell’s excellent cross from the left being headed a yard or so wide by Emile Mpenza.
The game quietened down for a while, until Alonso livened things up by chancing his arm from inside his own area, à la Pele in 1970, but like the great man he failed to score as the ball sailed over Isaksson’s bar.
City won a corner on 25 minutes, and DaMarcus Beasley volleyed just wide as the ball looped back to him outside the box.
The visitors were the next to go close to scoring after half an hour, a low Pennant corner being backheeled across goal by Mascherano, but thankfully for City Jamie Carragher could only find the side netting.
Mpenza was battling away up front and his persistence led to Vassell crossing back into Johnson just before the break, but the midfielder was just short of getting a header in as Mascherano blocked him.
No changes were made at half time, and within five minutes both sides had had a good chance each. Emile Mpenza was only just short of a good cross from Vassell that Reina was first to, and within seconds Riise was rifling a left-footed shot just wide of Isaksson’s left post from just outside the box.
Alonso hauled down Barton just after the hour to earn the day’s first booking, Steve Finnan following him into Rennie’s book a minute later after he pulled back Beasley. In between, Stephen Ireland replaced Emile Mpenza. Joey Barton was the first City player booked on 68 minutes after a strong challenge on Steven Gerrard.
Nedum Onuoha tumbled over Agger in the area with 16 minutes left, but it was a corner and not a spot kick that City won. From that, the ball went back out to Beasley, who checked inside onto his right foot to unleash a curling shot that rattled the crossbar, the closest either side had come to opening the scoring.
With eight minutes to go, Barton rolled a free kick short to Michael Ball, whose first shot was charged down by Gerrard and second rolled slowly wide of Reina’s left hand post.
City fans were appealing for a penalty on 86 minutes when a Ball throw in from the left appeared to strike Carragher on the arm in the area, but Uriah Rennie was unmoved by the claims from on and off the pitch.
Beasley whipped in a corner towards Corradi that a Liverpool leg managed to intercept at the start of stoppage time, but that was the last meaningful action as City earned a valuable point against the Champions League semi-finalists.
