De Bruyne earns Man City a draw at Liverpool after Anfield thriller

Manchester City's Rodri blocks a late shot into an open goal from Liverpool's Fabinho at Anfield. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA

Liverpool 2 Manchester City 2

A game that, eventually, produced a little bit of everything failed to produce a new leader at the top of the Premier League table and leaves Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola heading into the international break with plenty to ponder.

The flaws in both teams were abundantly obvious, as City twice came from behind with Phil Foden and Kevin de Bruyne cancelling out goals from Sadio Mane and Mo Salah.

But, of course, “flaws” are relative at this level of the game and two heavyweights, who are emerging with Chelsea as the trio most likely to produce the Premier League champions, produced a majestic and memorable spectacle.

There was also more than a fair share of controversy, with an apoplectic Guardiola booked for his touchline histrionics in the second half after he argued, quite rightly, that veteran James Milner should have been shown a second yellow card and sent off for a foul on Bernardo Silva.

Instead, the former City man was involved at the start of a move that led to Curtis Jones finding Salah, back to goal on the edge of the City area. Somehow, the Egyptian had the skill and vision to twist his way into the area, through and past three defenders, before beating Ederson with an expert finish.

It was a breathtaking finish and, with 76 minutes gone and Liverpool leading 2-1, it looked as though City, who had completely dominated first-half proceedings without finding a goal, were destined to lose.

But five minutes later, De Bruyne, disappointing to that point, spread a long ball forward for the magnificent Foden who returned a pass to the Belgian, arriving at the edge of the area, and the equaliser duly arrived from his boot and a deflection off Joel Matip.

Even in the final nine minutes, there were golden chances at both ends with Fabinho apparently presented with an open net by an Ederson mistake, but denied by Rodri’s incredible block, and City sub Raheem Sterling being played into a shooting position but failing to test the keeper.

In truth, a point was a fair result although both managers will be dissatisfied with some of their defending and, for Guardiola in particular, the problem persists of turning dominance and chances into goals.

That was the story of the first half and, having failed to open their account before the break, City quickly found themselves under pressure after it from a much-improved Liverpool display, and fell behind after 59 minutes.

The simply sensational Salah picked up the ball on the halfway line, beating Joao Cancelo and a couple of his team-mates as he advanced, before picking out Mane with a perfectly-judged through ball which his partner buried confidently past Ederson.

The momentum had completely shifted but, with Foden challenging Salah for the unofficial title of the game’s most watchable performer, an equaliser duly arrived after 69 minutes from an intelligent pass from his team-mate Gabriel Jesus.

The England winger still had a tall order to finish, from a tight angle against Alisson, but he hit the perfect finish into the far corner, just about the only place in the goal that was impossible for the keeper to reach.

The game started with the air of the proverbial chess match, to be expected between two established Grand Masters, although it possibly did not need somebody with Pep's football IQ to identify City’s most fruitful point of attack.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold injured, former City veteran James Milner was pressed into action as right-back, and that handed Foden an invitation to wreak havoc.

It was one the youngster gratefully received although, not for the first time this season, the question of whether City will regret not having signed a striker to replace the out-going Sergio Aguero hung over proceedings.

City might have been three goals up by the interval, De Bruyne wasting the half’s best chance when he stopped and met a Foden cross with a diving header from eight yards which cleared the cross-bar by a similar distance.

Foden was also played in by an outrageous run and through ball from Bernardo Silva, which took out at least four Liverpool defenders, although Alisson did well in the home goal to sprint out and block at his feet.

There was a similar chance after 44 minutes, this time from an astonishing pass from City goalkeeper Ederson that flew nearly the full length of the field to play in Foden who was denied by Alisson, bravely and intelligently sprinting to tackle with his legs.

But, as had been the case in midweek when City toiled and played well at PSG only to fail to find the net and eventually lose 2-0, this was Exhibit A in the case that, even if Harry Kane was unavailable this summer, Guardiola should have found an orthodox, and proven, striker to help convert the embarrassment of chances his team generates.

City came to Anfield having scored just 12 goals in their six league games to date, an extremely low strike rate by their standards, and, more alarmingly, 10 of those had come in just two fixtures, lopsided home wins over Norwich and Arsenal.

When Milner was booked just before the break, after yet another occasion when he was embarrassed by Foden, a player 14 years his junior, it looked like his time might be numbered.

It certainly appeared that way when Klopp sprinted down the Anfield tunnel the second that referee Paul Tierney sounded his whistle. But the second half began without substitutions and Liverpool so much more threatening, with Diogo Jota setting the tone with a couple of dangerous attacks.

Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson 7; Milner 4 (Gomez 77, 6), Matip 7, Van Dijk 6, Robertson 6; Henderson 7, Fabinho 5, Jones 7; Salah 9, Jota 7 (Firmino 67, 6), Mane 7. Substitutes (not used) Konate, Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino, Tsimikas, Kelleher, N Williams.

Man City (4-3-3): Ederson 6; Walker 6, Dias 6, Laporte 7, Cancelo 5; Silva 7, Rodri 6, De Bruyne 6; Jesus 7, Grealish 5 (Sterling 66, 5), Foden 9. Substitutes (not used) Stones, Ake, Steffen, Torres, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Carson, Palmer.

Referee: P Tierney 5.