“The team hasn't recovered from the last week. Liverpool played at a higher pace and pressed higher”
, Manuel Pellegrini – 02/03/2016.
Goals; Lallana (33'), Milner (40')Firminho (55')
Line Up (4-2-3-1;Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Otamendi, Clichy (Kolorov 74'), Fernando, Navas, Fernandhino (Iheanacho 53'), Silva, Sterling (Bony 45'), Aguero
Stats;Possession, 49.5%/50.5%; Shots, 10(4)/7(2); Fouls, 14/14
Referee; Martin Atkinson
Line Up (4-2-3-1;Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Otamendi, Clichy (Kolorov 74'), Fernando, Navas, Fernandhino (Iheanacho 53'), Silva, Sterling (Bony 45'), Aguero
Stats;Possession, 49.5%/50.5%; Shots, 10(4)/7(2); Fouls, 14/14
Referee; Martin Atkinson
Surprisingly it was Liverpool who had sprung the changes making five from the side which started against the blues at Wembley on Sunday, including serial tormentor Coutinho who was replaced by Lallana. City made just three from the League Cup winning side, with Hart, Zabaleta and Navas in for Caballero, Sagna, and Toure; the latter two changes forced by injury. On the night I'm not sure if it was Yaya or Cabellero who was missed the most, as City turned in an insipid display, the opposite of their last two outings. In hindsight bringing in some fresher legs in the centre of midfield may have been a wise move, even if the obvious choices all remain injured, the EDS may have provided the answer.
Liverpool started in typical Klopp fashion, and ably assisted by the lack of the referees whistle, flew into every challenge for the opening twenty minutes. This gained Liverpool much of the possession, but without actually threatening City's goal, until a speculative twenty yard effort from Firminho on 22'.As the half wore on, and legs tired on the Liverpool side some inroads were made by City, but with little of the precise build up which had marked City's play on Sunday, and against Kyiv the previous week.Perhaps if City had scored in this period the game would have gone another way, but the closest we saw was a high and wide effort from Sterling.
Then on 33' another inexplicable City moment changed the complexion of the game. Although not under any pressure, Lallana's 30 yard shot was neither particularly well hit, or hit with any real power; yet it easily crept into the bottom left of Hart's goal. 1-0 to Liverpool just as City had seemed to be regaining the ascendancy.
Buoyed by the goal, Liverpool continued to press, and City looked largely unable to respond, clearly missing the muscle and metronome passing of Yaya Toure. Then on 40' things got worse. Again with no pressure on the ball from City's midfield, a simple infield pass to found Milner on the edge of the City box, and suddenly it was 2-0. A half chance from Aguero was deflected off the line by Milner on 45' but the half ended 2-0 Liverpool.
Half time saw the substitution of Bony for Sterling, who had not been playing badly despite the inevitable immaturity of the Kop's constant jeering. The decision was more perplexing as moving to 4-4-2 when the midfield was already struggling seemed an all or nothing move. The as if to prove a point, Fernandinho made way for Iheanacho on 53', closely followed by Liverpool's third goal on 55' this time from Firminho. Game over.
From an attacking sense the substitutions had proved ineffectual. Defensively they had been suicide. We have to hope this was just a hangover from Sunday. City had thrown away the chance to make an impact of the table as Spurs and Arsenal had themselves thrown points to West Ham and Swansea respectively. Some good news at least, but much much better will be needed if even a top four spot is to be claimed by City between now and the end of the season.
@l0ngwayfr0mh0me
