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MARTIN KEOWN: Liverpool’s four-pronged attack was like watching the Red Arrows – Manchester City struggled to keep up with Jurgen Klopp’s adventurous approach
- Jurgen Klopp deployed a four-front attack on Man City at the Etihad
- Mohammed Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota started
- They were relentless in the initial stages and City struggled to keep up.
Watching Liverpool’s four-front attack directly at Manchester City in the first half was like watching the Red Arrows.
Not everyone thought that Jurgen Klopp could use Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota together. But the Liverpool manager came to the Etihad Stadium with a plan to win this match in an adventurous way.
They were relentless in the opening exchanges, flying forward at will, while City’s Kevin De Bruyne tried to get between the lines.
Liverpool’s four-front attack on Manchester City was like seeing the red arrows
Jurgen Klopp went with an adventurous focus on the Etihad and wowed City from the start
That was always going to pose problems for Liverpool. On two occasions in particular, De Bruyne found pockets and that’s when City made things happen.
In minute 31 he received the ball and fed Gabriel Jesús, who scored with that wonderful return. Then again at 42, De Bruyne had room and won a penalty, which he sadly missed.
In the second half, De Bruyne was pushing higher, while Liverpool weren’t getting as many balls into their attackers as before the break.
Mohammed Salah, one of the ‘Fab Four, scored for Liverpool but City came back to draw 1-1
When pressed, you would normally see Virgil van Dijk react by playing flush diagonals, or Trent Alexander-Arnold could produce punishing forward passes. But without those two on the field, Liverpool began to look predictable.
Overall this was an excellent game played at a very high level. Of the two, the visitors left the Etihad as the happier team.
City perhaps could have won the victory towards the end, but now Liverpool can spend the international break looking down on their rivals in the Premier League table.
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