As It Happened: Liverpool 0-0 Manchester City

Welcome to Nigerianeye's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield.

The Reds have gone three games without a win in all competitions, but they head into this huge match sitting level on points with their opponents at the top of the division.

City have already lost three times to the Reds this calendar year, meanwhile, and their only away loss in 25 came at this ground in the corresponding league fixture in January.

Follow all of the action as it unfolds with our extensive updates below.

OFFICIAL LINE-UPS

LIVERPOOL: Alisson; Gomez, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Milner, Henderson; Mane, Salah, Firmino

SUBS: Mignolet, Fabinho, Keita, Sturridge, Shaqiri, Matip, Alexander-Arnold
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MANCHESTER CITY: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Mendy; Fernandinho, Silva, Bernardo; Mahrez, Aguero, Sterling

SUBS: Muric, Danilo, Kompany, Sane, Otamendi, Jesus, Foden
























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90+3 min LIVERPOOL 0-0 MANCHESTER CITY

90+1 min Georginio Wijnaldum is the latest player to enter Martin Atkinson's book for infringement. Just three minutes added on here, so that penalty miss may well prove to be the final chance of the match.

89 min One minute of normal time to play at Anfield and there is now no doubt that Man City have been the more deserving of all three points today. Virgil van Dijk is the most relieved man inside Anfield right now, and his side now look on course for an unlikely point.

87 min PENALTY MISSED! A terrible, terrible penalty from Riyad Mahrez! The Algerian winger blazes the ball high over the crossbar. Up the other end, Sadio Mane very nearly picked out Daniel Sturridge on the counter-attack.

86 min Five minutes to play at Anfield and Man City have been awarded a penalty! A fresh Leroy Sane is sent crashing to the ground by Virgil van Dijk and there can be no complaints. Riyad Mahrez is about to step up...

86 min It would be a surprise if Klopp and Guardiola do not use their final sub in the remaining minutes here. Sadio Mane stays down after being caught in the face by Fernandinho's forearm, and it is easy to see why - that was a painful one.

84 min Man City have done more than Liverpool to win this match, but with a little over five minutes to go they may sit back a little more - a point would not be a bad outcome from this match. As things stand, three teams are locked at 20 points in first, second and third.

82 min This has to go down as one of Liverpool's best chances today, as Joe Gomez gets a cross into the middle for Daniel Sturridge to meet. The striker did pretty much all he could with the header, but it was never going to beat Ederson.

80 min PENALTY APPEAL! Gabriel Jesus gets in behind Joe Gomez and looked to have got the better of Dejan Lovren. Lovren stuck an arm out and caught his opponent in the face, but there was not enough in it to warrant a penalty.

78 min MANCHESTER CITY SUB! Not the most productive of afternoons for Raheem Sterling, who is replaced by Leroy Sane. A wise change for Guardiola to make, with his side currently on top and looking the more likely to score a winner.

76 min Alisson Becker pushes out Bernardo Silva's cross as far as Riyad Mahrez, and the Brazilian was then required for the best save of the match so far. Good, powerful shot from Mahrez, which Alisson was equal to down low.

74 min LIVERPOOL SUB! Xherdan Shaqiri and Daniel Sturridge were the obvious replacements for outgoing Roberto Firmino; it is the latter who gets the nod. A little over 15 minutes for Sturridge to make an impact, just like he did against Chelsea.

72 min We are reaching the point where it has to be asked, which side would prefer the point more? Probably City, being the away side, but they are not exactly sitting back at the moment. Still plenty of time for a late twist at Anfield.

70 min A brilliant first touch from Mohamed Salah, following some quick thinking from Alisson Becker to set Andrew Robertson free, but his second touch ended with the ball high in the stands - not for the first time today.

68 min Mohamed Salah's free kick offers hope of a breakthrough, but his delivery is poor and the ball went straight out of play for a goal kick. Both managers have two more options available to them from the bench - which of them will blink first?

66 min MANCHESTER CITY SUB! Sergio Aguero, who is now without a goal in 10 trips to Anfield, makes way for Gabriel Jesus. The Citizens have been the better side overall today but have lacked any cutting edge up top.

64 min We have a game on our hands at Anfield! Following those two chances for Riyad Mahrez, Joe Gomez pinged the ball into the box at the other end for Mohamed Salah to test Ederson with a weak attempt. Mendy is cautioned for pulling back on his man.

62 min Man City are turning the screw for the first time today. Bernardo Silva won back possession for his side and played it through for Riyad Mahrez. Unlike a couple of minutes ago, he had to take it on with his right foot, meaning a simple save for Alisson to make.

60 min At long, long last we have some action in front of goal! David Silva feeds the ball through for Riyad Mahrez and the Algerian sent Andrew Robertson the wrong way, before firing the ball across Alisson Becker's goal.

58 min Man City win themselves a corner, from which a few visiting players called for a penalty. It looked as though the ball hit Virgil van Dijk on the arm, but he was dragged to the ground by Fernandinho so that was never going to be given.

56 min The good news is that we have just had another shot. The bad news is that Fernandinho's drive from 40 yards out ended high in the stands behind the goal - a true shocker. This match has lacked any real attacking quality, unfortunately.

54 min This is a bad challenge from Sergio Aguero on Jordan Henderson, catching his opponent high up the leg. Martin Atkinson shows just a yellow and not a red, which was probably the right call. Aguero, remember, had a pen appeal turned down earlier on.

52 min Roberto Firmino cannot quite make contact with Andrew Robertson's cross. These next 40 minutes or so really are massive in the context of the season as a whole. Can one of these sides grab the game by the scruff of its neck?

50 min The tempo has been incredibly slow since around the 20-minute mark when Liverpool's grip on the match slipped. Even the atmosphere is subdued around Anfield in a match that promised so much. Incidentally, the Reds have passed the 800-minute mark without conceding.

48 min Liverpool have spent the best part of two minutes knocking the ball around, without asking any questions of their opponents. I gave plenty of credit to both sides' defences in the first half, but in truth they did not have all that much to do.

46 minWe are back under way at Anfield in this final Premier League clash of the weekend, where neither manager has made any half-time changes. Fingers crossed for a more engaging battle over the remaining 45 minutes, with top spot up for grabs for the winning side.


Martin Atkinson brings the first half to a close. It was a first half of very few chances - none, in fact! Mohamed Salah shot wide early on from a promising position, but that aside neither team managed to get away an effort of note.


45+2 min LIVERPOOL 0-0 MANCHESTER CITY

45 min No shots on target in the first half, which is pretty staggering. There is a couple more minutes to come for that to change, but it has been a case of the two sides cancelling each other out so far.

43 min Man City's biggest downfall so far has been turning possession inside the final third into chances. They have still yet to create anything of note, which has also been the case for Liverpool. A slightly disappointing opening 45 minutes.

41 min Defence has trumped attack so far at Anfield, as both sides' back fours have remained solid throughout, especially Laporte and Stones. This first half is looking progressively likely to end goalless, it is fair to say.

39 min Liverpool just cannot keep a hold of the ball, which must be worrying Klopp. Man City just starting to turn the screw a little, as David Silva turns inside the box and has a shot blocked behind for a corner kick.

37 min While many goals were predicted today, it has to be remembered that these sides also boast the best defences in the Premier League. It has been incredibly tight so far and neither side can argue that they deserve a first-half lead.

35 min The match has a little edge to it, with Fernandinho and Sadio Mane exchanging some words. Ten minutes to go until half time and we are not really any closer to seeing a goal. The hosts just having to soak up some pressure for the time being.

33 min Still just the one shot all afternoon, coming via the boot of Mohamed Salah early on. City, who will arguably be the happier of the two sides at this point, are the team currently bossing possession on Merseyside.

31 min LIVERPOOL SUB! Half an hour played at Anfield and Jurgen Klopp, as he was in midweek, is forced into a central-midfield change. James Milner injured his hamstring when tackling Kyle Walker and is replaced by Naby Keita.

29 min The tempo has dropped massively over the last five minutes at Anfield. James Milner is currently down receiving some treatment, so no great surprise to see Naby Keita - himself injured in midweek - sent to warm up by Klopp.

27 min Man City make it look so easy when they find their passing groove, always seeming to have a player left over. Again, thought, it has not been penetrative enough and they have yet to get any sort of shot away. That has to change.

25 min Both teams have enjoyed spells on top this afternoon, but at the moment it is pretty balanced and end-to-end. All of a sudden it is Man City who are edging possession - 54% to Liverpool's 46% - but they have not looked like scoring.

23 min Bernardo Silva is cautioned by referee Martin Atkinson for clattering into Mohamed Salah. Going back to that Lovren challenge on Aguero, it did look as though a penalty should have been awarded. It helped Lovren that his opponent got straight back up and did not really complain.

21 min Momentum has definitely shifted the Citizens' way over the last three or four minutes. Joe Gomez makes a horrible clearance and Sergio Aguero was waiting to pounce on the ball - at least he would have if not kicked by Dejan Lovren. City want a penalty but the referee says no.

19 min Guardiola's men are now looking a lot more comfortable. They are slowing play down, which is part one of the plan, and will now look to create some chances of their own. The Reds have had 57% of the ball so far at Anfield.

17 min No goals yet at Anfield but this has still been a pretty gripping encounter between two of the best sides on the continent. So little room for City's players to operate in; they will not be accustomed to this, having pretty much-dominated possession in every other game this term.

15 min The visitors' first serious attack of the match, with a quarter of an hour played, sees Raheem Sterling run at Joe Gomez. A corner was won from it, but it came to little and Liverpool were nearly able to counter - a good Stones intervention preventing them from doing so.

13 min Still no attempts on target so far; Mohamed Salah's dragged shot the closest we have come to a breakthrough moment. Man City have not really got going at all so far, which is largely down to Klopp's men pegging them right back.

11 min Good defending from John Stones to twice cut out an intended cross into the middle. Liverpool looking so much sharper than they did in Naples in midweek, as they continue to take the game to their opponents in the early stages here.

9 min Liverpool are undoubtedly on top in the early stages here. A cross from the left is sent in by Sadio Mane, who got the better of his man, but Benjamin Mendy got a touch to it before Mohamed Salah could blast goalwards.

5 min Man City have settled down now and are knocking the ball around well. Fernandinho was robbed by Georginio Wijnaldum, though, and off Liverpool go on the counter. A simple ball into Sadio Mane's path is miscontrolled and City are able to get men back.

5 min SHOT!  A first sight of goal for Mohamed Salah, who knocks the ball inside John Stones but dragged his shot wide of goal. Aymeric Laporte did well to get across and put the Egyptian forward under a little pressure. The hosts looking lively early on.

3 min Riyad Mahrez, who was a surprise pick in one of the wide positions, attempts to get in behind early on but is flagged for offside. Intriguing battles wherever you look across the field, including Mahrez and Sterling against Robertson and Gomez.

1 min KICKOFF:  We are up and running in what is surely the biggest game of the Premier League season so far. The magnitude of this contest really cannot be stressed enough - top spot, currently occupied by Chelsea following their 3-0 win at Southampton, is up for grabs for the winner.

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