With Man City looming around the top of the English Premier League and with a few extra games in hand, Liverpool had a chance to put the brakes on the Man City goal train, they not only took the chance, they created an exciting game of football to watch.
Sterling was threatening the Man City back line from early in the game and got his reward at the 6 minute mark with a lovely fake and turn to slot the ball pass Joe Hart and make millions sing along “You’ll Never Walk Alone”
Liverpool continued their confident first half display of attacking football and kept wave after wave of attack coming before Skrtel, connected with a beautiful header to make the dreams of many Liverpool fans come scarily close to reality that on the 12th May when the final whistle blows and the end of the 2013/2014 Season is open us, they may be lifting the Barclays Premier League trophy.
Half time came and went and with no reply from City, there was certainly some confident fans at Anfield on a very emotional day with all remembering the 96 fans who passed in the Hillsborough disaster on 15th April 1989.
The stadium turned as silent as the time of respect before the game when Silva managed to put the ball in the back of the net at the 57 minute mark and give City some hope of a comeback, and when a further goal went in to bring the game level 5 minutes after the ball deflected off Glen Johnson, City were pushing with all their might to hold level, or perhaps take a chance and steal the game and probably the Premier League. Coach Manuel Pellegrini then deployed his top gun from the bench at 68 minutes when Sergio Aguero came jogging onto the field. Usually the Argentinian striker is a force to be reckoned with and a goal scoring machine.
Not today, not for Aguero and not for city…and especially not for Vincent Kompany who make a shocking clearing kick at the 78 minute mark and left Coutinho open to strike and sink the hearts of all City fans present and send Anfield into a riot!
The drama wasn’t over when Jordan Henderson made an awful challenge on Nasri and was given his marching orders with a straight red card.
With a man down Liverpool went into lockdown on defence. Man City must have been salivating at the thought of being a man up and with 2 minutes in hand to at least level.
They didn’t. And Liverpool players and fans rejoiced, With pure skill and tactics winning the day over big money signings.
Liverpool will play Chelsea on Day 36 of the English Premier League and with that being the second last game of the round, it will surely be make of break for the Kop’s title hopes.