Guardiola: 'He defends his club, I defend mine. Our history speaks for itself'
THE last dance between Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola did not disappoint, even if both of these Premier League title combatants could mutter about their disappointment at not winning the game.
For defending champions City, a second half collapse undid a brilliant first half performance in which they led through John Stones’ set-piece goal and looked to be heading towards top spot in the division.
For Liverpool, meanwhile, there was the knowledge that they could not add to Alexis Mac Allister’s equalising penalty early in the second half, despite plenty of possession and multiple chances.
The drama continued until the closing moments, with City sub Jeremy Doku hitting the post in the 89th minute and then, in the final minute of the eight added on, Doku escaping a VAR check that could have cost him a red card and a penalty as he went in, boot-high, on Mac Allister.
"It was 100 per cent a penalty,” said Klopp. “They will find an explanation. It was 100 per cent a foul in all areas of the pitch and probably a yellow card. All the people with ipads around me were 'wow, clear'. Maybe they can hide behind the phrase it is not ‘clear and obvious.’”
When the dust had finally settled on that, and an absorbing contest overall, Arsenal clung onto first place, on goal difference from Liverpool, with City one point further behind and the title race brewing up to be the most closely-contested in the Premier League’s 31-year history.
With 10 games to play, and no sign of any of the trio falling off the pace, it may not do much for the blood pressure or heart health of these two legendary managers but to neutral supporters, as well as Premier League marketeers and those charged with selling multi-billion pound TV rights across the globe, it is the stuff of dreams.
“This was obviously not a title decider and nobody should be opening the champagne bottles because there is a long way to go, for all of us,” said Klopp.
“But this performance really showed if you can play football like this against Man City, that’s a statement and I love that. But you get a point for it, fine, and you keep going.”
As City held the half-time lead at Anfield, Guardiola was heading to the top of the table, to become the third team to hold that spot this weekend, after Arsenal had replaced Liverpool there late on Saturday.
But the rush of blood that altered the momentum of the day, and possibly the title race, came minutes after the restart and was the result of the first serious mistake of the day by City.
Nathan Ake’s under-hit back pass was always going to present his keeper Ederson with problems but the Brazilian compounded matters by rashly sprinting off his line to take out Darwin Nunez with the swing of his boot.
There was a three-minute delay while the keeper received treatment on a thigh injury but Mac Allister maintained lazer focus to convert an unstoppable 50th minute penalty despite the keeper diving the right way.
Guardiola’s disgusted reaction spoke volumes on the touchline and, within five minutes, Ederson had been forced to leave the field with his injury, making way for Stefan Ortega.
The City manager’s frustrations were all the more understandable as his side had turned in a majestic first half performance, to lead through John Stones opening goal, and done as well as they possibly could to silence Anfield.
Stones had struck from a brilliantly-worked 23rd minute near-post corner from Kevin De Bruyne which the defender turned in at the near post after slipping his marker.
But the equaliser, and its timing early in the second half, was huge and energised a white-hot Anfield.
"In that stadium if you have to defend something you have to play and play and play,” said Guardiola. “We gave away the penalty, and sooner or later with this stadium you have 15 or 20 minutes and it looks like a tsunami, coming for everybody who has the ball."
Klopp’s response was to bring on Mo Salah from his bench and he was influential in spell in which Luis Diaz wasted three glorious openings, any one of which would have wrapped up the three points.
Guardiola, winner of just one of his previous eight trips to Anfield, was staring at another defeat and brought on Mateo Kovacic to try and stem the bleeding. The City manager also threw on winger Doku, in place of De Bruyne who voiced his disapproval as he left the field and continued the row with his manager from the bench.
"That's good,”said Guardiola. “He has a chance next game to prove how wrong I was. We needed a player who keeps the ball. Kovacic is really good at that. We were happy with Kevin. It's not a problem. We're fine."
There were some anxious moments to come, notably when Ortega was forced to save well again, this time from Nunez as he met a brilliant Andy Robertson cross, before those substitutions helped City hold on for the point.
It was a fitting finale on the last Premier League meeting between the managerial legends, one that ended with an emotional embrace between the pair.
"We wouldn't need a hug to show that respect,” said Guardiola. “He defends his club, I defend mine. Our history speaks for itself. We still have 10 games to go, many things can happen."
: Kelleher 7; Bradley 7 (Robertson 60, 7), Quansah 7, van Dijk 8, Gomez 7; Szoboszlai 6 (Salah 60, 6), Endo 6, MacAllister 7; Elliott 7, Nunez 7 (Gakpo 76, 6), Diaz 7. Substitutes (not used) Adrian, Tsimikas, Clark, McConnell, Nallo, Koumas.
: Ederson 5 (Ortega 55, 7); Walker 6, Stones 7, Akanji 6, Ake 5; Rodri 7; Foden 7, Silva 6, De Bruyne 6 (Kovacic 68, 7), Alvarez 5 (Doku 68, 5); Haaland 6. Substitutes (not used) Dias, Gomez, Gvardiol, Nunes, Bobb, Lewis.
: M Oliver 7
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