“Always we play to win, always we play to attack, always we play respecting our spectators, but of course we are a little bit sad because we deserved to win, again”, Guardiola – 19/03/2017.
Goals: Aguero 69'; Milner 51' (Pen)
Line Up (4-1-4-1) (match ratings in brackets);
Caballero (7)
Fernandinho (7)
Otamendi (6.5)
Stones (8)
Clichy (6)
Toure (6.5), (Sagna 65' (4.5))
Sterling (7.5)
De Bruyne (6)
Sané (6.5), (Fernando 83' (6))
Silva (8)
Agüero (7)
Caballero (7)
Fernandinho (7)
Otamendi (6.5)
Stones (8)
Clichy (6)
Toure (6.5), (Sagna 65' (4.5))
Sterling (7.5)
De Bruyne (6)
Sané (6.5), (Fernando 83' (6))
Silva (8)
Agüero (7)
Referee; Michael Oliver (4)
Stats;Possession, 60%/40%; Shots, 13(3)/13(4); Corners, 9/8; Fouls, 14/7
I hate playing Liverpool. Decades of never getting the rub of the green, and terrible refereeing decisions, and of course for many years where they were a far better side than City could hope to be. Even though that's not the case now, I still expect to be robbed at some point during the game. So on reading that Michael Oliver was to referee the game today, in my head it was a foregone conclusion that he would ruin it in some way... On either side of half time that's exactly what he did.
On 39' Oliver blindly ignored, not one, but two penalties in quick succession, as firstly Matip impeded Aguero as he tried to run in to get on David Silva's exquisite cross, and then as Sterling sets to pull the trigger Milner goes through his shooting foot and then his standing leg, with a tackle from behind, both nailed on penalties. Had Fernandinho managed to get his foot around the ball at the far post it wouldn't have mattered ... but he didn't so a penalty has to be given.
Then after the break, Oliver doesn't hesitate to award a penalty to Liverpool as Clichy kicks the ball at chest height from a Emre Can cross. Sad in its inevitability, I really did think that might be game over.
However Pep and the team were having none of it. Despite showing obvious miles in the legs as a hangover from the midweek game verses Monaco. City dug deep and slowly re-asserted their game plan, assisted ably by two significant substitutions.
Firstly Fernandinho, who had played well at right back was pushed forward to a deep midfield role as Sagna came on for Toure. This was actually a cue for De Bruyne, who had looked a fish out of water to that point, to push to right wing with Sterling coming in side. It paid immediate dividends, as on 69' De Bruyne punched a low out swinging cross towards Aguero, and the Argentinian caught it sweetly to equalise.
The second substitution brought on Fernando for Sané . Outwardly a defensive move, however with Fernando better equipped to deal with the Liverpool counter, City started to apply real pressure, and were unlucky not to profit from one of three good chances for Aguero on 87', 90'+1, and 90+3.
I'm sure it was a great game for the neutrals, but a point was scant reward for a powerful display against a Liverpool side playing out of their skins as they always do at the Etihad. Michael Oliver, please do one.
@l0ngwayfr0mh0me
