Liverpool held in dour first half

Manchester City 0 Liverpool 0

On the day football paid its respects to one of its most exciting stars, Manchester City and Liverpool served up a tepid tribute at Eastlands.

The free-flowing legacy George Best left to the game was spectacularly absent in a goalless first-half largely devoid of any talking points.

Predictably, the only player who came close to lift a tepid contest out of its mediocrity was Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard, who almost put the visitors ahead with a curling effort after a typical burst forward had taken him into the City box.