Premier League - Liverpool and City share spoils

Eurosport - Sat, 21 Nov 15:00:00 2009

Liverpool and Manchester City shared a thrilling 2-2 draw in their Premier League clash with all four goals coming in an enthralling second half at Anfield.

Manchester City's Adebayor celebrates with Ireland and Wright-Phillips after scoring against Liverpool, REUTERS - 0

The pressure will mount further on Reds boss Rafael Benitez as his side look set to slip further behind their rivals in the league having gone into the match 11 points adrift of leaders Chelsea.

Martin Skrtel gave Liverpool the lead after the defender stole in ahead of Emmanuel Adebayor in the 50th minute to stab home from Steven Gerrard's inswinging delivery.

Adebayor levelled at 1-1 with a towering header which he directed superbly into the bottom corner as Liverpool were punished for some terribly slack marking in their penalty area in the 69th minute.

Stephen Ireland then slammed City in front after Shaun Wright-Phillips turned his marker to square the ball to the midfielder from close range, 14 minutes from time.

But substitute Yossi Benayoun hit straight back a minute later for the hosts, the Israeli tapping home from David Ngog's deflected shot as Benitez's side grabbed a deserved point.

The first half was a drab affair with Liverpool devoid of inspiration in the final third of the field as City defended stoutly, before a chaotic second period ensued.

Steven Gerrard returned for Liverpool, with Alberto Aquilani and Benayoun confined to the bench, while Ngog replaced Torres at the point of the Reds' attack.

For City, Carlos Tevez and Roque Santa Cruz had to settle for places on the bench as Craig Bellamy partnered Adebayor as Gareth Barry played against the side for which he once came close to starring.

It could have been different for the Reds as early as the fifth minute when Gerrard whipped in a vicious free-kick from the right and Joleon Lescott inadvertently deflected it to Skrtel, who was loitering at the back post, but his header was tipped wide by Shay Given with a stunning reflex save.

At the other end, Barry stole in at the back post with the midfielder inexplicably unmarked from Ireland's dinked cross, but his header was tame and Pepe Reina was able to parry the ball wide to alleviate the danger.

The hosts' task was made all the more arduous as first Daniel Agger - with a nasty eye injury - then Ryan Babel, were forced off the field with Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Benayoun the men to step in.

A characteristic run from the returning Gerrard saw the Liverpool skipper surge into the City box at pace and unleashe a fierce shot, but it drifted narrowly wide of the top corner of Given's net after Pablo Zabaleta was outfoxed, not for the first time.

On the half-hour, an unusually subdued Dirk Kuyt fired a low volley from the edge of the City box, but it deflected off the excellent Lescott's ankle and away for a corner as Liverpool's forward play continued to peter out in the final third.

Mark Hughes made an enforced change at half-time as Nedum Onuoha replaced the City captain Kolo Toure, who sustained a thigh strain early on.

Liverpool started the second half with urgency and were rewarded with the opening goal as Gerrard whipped in a devilish delivery from a free-kick out on the left and Skrtel stole in ahead of his marker Adebayor - not for the first time - to stab the ball past Given.

Hughes responded quickly to introduce Carlos Tevez with Gareth Barry forced to make way and the attacking change reaped its rewards.

Adebayor equalised with a majestic header into the bottom corner as City capitalised on their hosts' shoddy marking.

The Argentine found Wright-Phillips on the left side of the Liverpool box and the winger proceeded to turn Krygiakos as if he were not there and squared the ball across to Ireland who tucked the ball past Reina to stun the hosts.

But Liverpool hit straight back as Ngog fired a cross-shot to the far post and it took a vicious deflection off Lescott with the ball squirming out to Benayoun who was able to tap the ball home.

Liverpool remain a point behind City in seventh place after making it three games without a win, while Hughes's side recorded their fifth consecutive draw with neither manager entirely satisfied.

Dan Quarrell / Eurosport

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  1. scouse-baby is a man!!!

    From VICTOR V, on Sun 29 Nov 2:31AM

  2. Hi Liverpool Fans

    Morinho @ Anfield

    It's High­ Time for Mourinho to come to replace Benitez at­ Anfield....There was a negociation between Liverpool­ Top -Management and Jose Morinho. Jose accepted the­ deal.. this will be confirmed in the mid season...so­ Benitez...please pack off your bag ! How can liverpool­ teams depends so much on 2 Stars like Torres &­ Gerrard despite having many players?

    From Richie, on Mon 23 Nov 2:04PM

  3. Bob, honestly no one wants you here; you should go now­ and never come back again; just try to keep yourself­ well away from this site for the rest of your sad life­ because you are rubbish mate !!!; in fact we are trying­ to get people full of @#$% out of this site and by­ having someone like you just walking away is very good­ news for the rest of us; we are already planning to­ have a party.Bob we are prepered to respect the fact­ that you are the one walking away if you respect the­ fact that there was no place for you here and that­ nobody gives a @#$% about you or your rubbish commnts­ and no one will miss you ever and that this was a happy­ outcome for us to see you living like a looser. And­ one last thing, don`t you dare to just come here and­ read whatever we writing and go and use our comments­ somewhere else pretending they`re yours because if you­ do we will find you and kick your a.s.s. so badly that­ your already half dead brain will try to hide inside­ your balls (if you happen to have them). Now stop­ reading this and go gO GO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AWAY AND­ NEVER EVER RETURN AGAIN!!!! YOU ARE A LOSER BOOOOOOB SO­ JUST ­ GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­ OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­ OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­ OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­ OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­ OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

    From VICTOR V, on Mon 23 Nov 2:24AM

  4. Bob, honestly no one wants you here; you should go now­ and never come back again; just try to keep yourself­ well away from this site for the rest of your sad life­ because you are rubbish mate !!!; in fact we are trying­ to get people full of @#$% out of this site and by­ having someone like you just walking away is very good­ news for the rest of us; we are already planning to­ have a party.Bob we are prepered to respect the fact­ that you are the one walking away if you respect the­ fact that there was no place for you here and that­ nobody gives a @#$% about you or your rubbish commnts­ and no one will miss you ever and that this was a happy­ outcome for us to see you living like a looser. And­ one last thing, don`t you dare to just come here and­ read whatever we writing and go and use our comments­ somewhere else pretending they`re yours because if you­ do we will find you and kick your a.s.s. so badly that­ your already half dead brain will try to hide inside­ your balls (if you happen to have them). Now stop­ reading this and go gO GO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AWAY AND EVER­ BOB, YOU ARE A LOSER SO JUST ­ GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­ OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­ OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­ OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­ OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­ OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

    From VICTOR V, on Mon 23 Nov 2:19AM

  5. anyone with an ounce of brain cells would be on a plane­ to see guss hiddink ! i'm not sure he would go to­ liverpool ,but he would turn them around with ease ,his­ contract with russia is all but over !

    From handyandyisalways, on Sun 22 Nov 11:17PM

  6. i wanna retire like my manipulating jackass of a­ manager he is filth

    From Dazggmu paedo safe house resident, on Sun 22 Nov 9:04PM

  7. wayne loves city

    From Dazggmu paedo safe house resident, on Sun 22 Nov 8:43PM

  8. Liverpool cany play football near can manutd they suck­ they smell like poo chelsea are goin tae win the­ champions league,english premiership,FA cup,carling­ cup. from andrew shields im a chelsea fan nae wonder­ there tap of tha league. thankyou from andrew shields.

    From andrew6997, on Sun 22 Nov 7:22PM

  9. GLORY GLORY MAN UTD GLORY GLORY MAN UTD GLORY GLORY MAN­ UTD AND THE REDS GO MARCHING ON ON ON GLORY GLORY MAN­ UTD GLORY GLORY MAN UTD GLORY GLORY MAN UTD AND THE­ REDS GO MARCHING ON ON ON GLORY GLORY MAN UTD GLORY­ GLORY MAN UTD GLORY GLORY MAN UTD AND THE REDS GO­ MARCHING ON ON ON!
    ARE YOU WATCHING MERSEYSIDE ARE YOU­ WATCHING MERSEYSIDE ARE YOU WATCHING ARE YOU WATCHING­ ARE YOU WATCHING MERSEYSIDE ARE YOU WATCHING­ MERSEYSIDE!
    GLORY GLORY MAN UTD GLORY GLORY MAN UTD­ GLORY GLORY MAN UTD AND THE REDS GO MARCHING ON ON ON­ GLORY GLORY MAN UTD GLORY GLORY MAN UTD GLORY GLORY MAN­ UTD AND THE REDS GO MARCHING ON ON ON!
    ARE YOU WATCHING­ MERSEYSIDE ARE YOU WATCHING MERSEYSIDE ARE YOU WATCHING­ ARE YOU WATCHING ARE YOU WATCHING MERSEYSIDE ARE YOU­ WATCHING MERSEYSIDE!
    GLORY GLORY MAN UTD GLORY GLORY­ MAN UTD GLORY GLORY MAN UTD AND THE REDS GO MARCHING ON­ ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON­ ON ON AND ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON­ ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON AND ON ON ON ON­ ON ON ON ON ON ON­ ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    GLOOOOOORY GLOOOOOORY MAN­ UTD
    GOING FOR FOUR IN A ROW
    OUT THE CHAMPS LEAGUE THIS­ WEEK HAHAHAHA
    COULD NOT HAPPEN TOO A NICER BUNCH OF­ SCUM PLAYERS FAT MANAGER AND SCUMMY SUPPORTERS­ HAHAHAHAHA
    PS
    HOPE THE BEST TEAM (EVERTON) ON­ MERSYSIDE WIN YOUS NEXT MATCH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    COYB

    From WAYNE, on Sun 22 Nov 7:17PM

  10. Why,oh why ain't we as good as MAN_UTD. We need to­ get rid of the THUG,and the SHEMALE. As long as we keep­ players like Lucas(i like his bottom) we'll be OK.­ COME ON THE POOLS.

    From , on Sun 22 Nov 5:47PM

  11. I'm on strike.

    As a Liverpool fan, it pains me to­ say this but I've completely lost my faith in­ Rafa's ability to turn this around. What's most­ worrying of all is Rafa seems unable to motivate his­ dressing room.

    He's not the most engaging­ people-person you'll ever come across and when­ time's are bad - now they're rock bottom -­ I'd imagine Melwood is a pretty depressing place on­ a Monday morning.

    Visit my blog and tell me what you­ think!!

    Just type in "an irish daddy" into­ google, click return and unleash your opinion on me.

    From An Irish Daddy, on Sun 22 Nov 3:46PM

  12. Leave Lucas alone, i thought he was great yesterday.­ You must keep picking him Rafa.

    From , on Sun 22 Nov 2:05PM

  13. In Rafa we RUST, long may you reign.

    From , on Sun 22 Nov 2:01PM

  14. I love the way Liverpool fans stand by Benitez, they­ are so used to not wining anything they find it­ acceptable. Long live Benitez, at least that way­ Liverpool will never win the premier league!! lol lol

    From jeremyadavies, on Sun 22 Nov 1:53PM

  15. Benitez going wouldn't solve anything. Who else­ would you get ? You'd be back to square one.­ Whoever came in would still have the same owners and­ players and the same financial structure. The­ Premiership needs more sides good enough to focus on­ competing for the top four places, able to take points­ off the current top four, like Sunderland and Burnley­ have done. Most of the season we see at least half of­ the Division concentrating on avoiding relegation.­ There's a danger that it will be divided in two­ with 14 teams in each, with no promotion of relegation­ between the two halves. A tacit recognition that 14­ sides can't compete.Surely that can't be good­ for the national team either. As much as I'd like­ Utd to win every year, it does get boring, particularly­ when the season appears to be over when it's not­ even halfway through.

    From a.wise987, on Sun 22 Nov 1:49PM

  16. Benitez should pack his bags out of Anfield!!!!!!!!10­­ games just only 1 win.

    From Tham, on Sun 22 Nov 1:29PM

  17. baby fat benitez is jerk!

    From Jean-Claude Van Damage, on Sun 22 Nov 12:41PM

  18. manu is the best
    comon rooney and owen

    From DENNIS, on Sun 22 Nov 12:40PM

  19. we have concided more goals to zone marking than­ anything . it does not work . i am not a fan of this /

    From wayne, on Sun 22 Nov 12:24PM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I hate Liverpool than any team on earth, i hope they­ relegated to division wether they fire Baby fat benitez­ or not.
    Greeting from Chelsea.

    From Jean-Claude Van Damage, on Sun 22 Nov 11:34AM
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