The media saw lots for Liverpool to be positive about after their 1-1 draw at Man City, with the Reds being named the champions’ biggest threat.
Jurgen Klopp‘s side weren’t always at their best in an attacking sense on Saturday lunchtime, but they more than held their own against world-class opponents.
Erling Haaland’s strike gave Man City the lead before half time but, thankfully, Trent Alexander-Arnold equalised superbly late on.
Here’s the best of the media reaction to Liverpool’s hard-earned point in Manchester.
Liverpool’s performance assessed positively…
The Independent‘s Richard Jolly was impressed at how Liverpool ended Man City‘s long home winning run:
“The longer a run goes, Jurgen Klopp had said, the more likely it would end. And if it appeared like wishful thinking when he delivered the thought, a day earlier, events – and Trent Alexander-Arnold – made the Liverpool manager sound prophetic 24 hours later.
“Manchester City had won every game at the Etihad Stadium in 2023, every match since a rather less celebrated manager, Frank Lampard, earned a 1-1 draw with a rather less talented Everton team.
“Almost 11 months later, Klopp and Liverpool secured the same result, halting City’s winning run on their own turf at 23 matches – one short of the English record set by Sunderland in the 1890s – and keeping the gap between these two teams at one point.
“There still seems to be a title race whereas, if City had pulled four points clear of their perennial challengers, there was the danger they would disappear into the distance.”
Sam Wallace of the Telegraph felt that Liverpool were arguably fortunate to draw, but praised the result:
“Against the treble-winning, all-conquering City, a draw at the Etihad is some result. This was the first in 24 games in all competitions at home over the course of 2023 that City had not won…
“In time added on at the end Haaland flicked a header inches wide for what would have been a very late winner. City might well have deserved it, but Liverpool took their chance.”
On X, David Lynch was impressed by Liverpool’s efforts:
“A deserved point for Liverpool in the end and one worthy of celebration given the opponent and venue.
“They did well to stick at it after the disappointment of giving up the first goal and really earned a point from what was an even game overall.”
Alexander-Arnold’s impact was a talking point…
On X, Football Data Editor Michael Reid outlined the 25-year-old’s influence:
No #LFC player won possession more (10), contested more duels (15), or played more passes into the final 1/3 (8) than Alexander-Arnold today.
He's the first LFC player to score & record as many as he did in all those metrics in a PL game since Steven Gerrard v Fulham in Nov '07.
— Michael Reid (@michael_reid11) November 25, 2023
Trent Alexander-Arnold's game by numbers vs. Man City:
66 touches
10x possession won
8 final third entries
7x dribbled past
5/15 duels won
4 accurate long balls
3 tackles
1 last man tackle
1 shot
1 goalEnding City's winning home run in 2023. ?#MCILIV pic.twitter.com/8bkoyJTBJa
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) November 25, 2023
Alex Richards of the Mirror described Alexander-Arnold as the “difference-maker” against Pep Guardiola’s men:
“This was never going to be an easy afternoon for Liverpool’s vice-captain. He’s had a pretty excellent season so far in this inverted right-back role which he’s being asked to play, stepping in to bolster midfield and create from deep.
“But he knew when he woke up in his Manchester hotel that it would be a tough task keeping the quicksilver Jeremy Doku in check. However, by and large, he did just about enough on that score, with no-one on either side winning possession more for their side than Alexander-Arnold did (nine times).
“The question then was, whether at the other end, he could influence the biggest match of the Premier League season so far, as the top two faced off.
“And he did just that, his well-taken goal giving Liverpool a reward for staying in the game when things weren’t going their way…
“This is what it’s about for Trent now, both for club and country; being smart at one end and making a difference at the other. Impressively, that’s precisely what he pulled off here.”
A title race to come?
Jolly feels Liverpool are very much in the race:
“There still seems to be a title race whereas, if City had pulled four points clear of their perennial challengers, there was the danger they would disappear into the distance.
“And if Klopp had further proof of his side’s powers of recovery – the specialists in coming from behind this season got another point after trailing – he reaped a reward of sorts for his own pragmatism, an equaliser coming after Liverpool had looked uncharacteristically timid.
“This was not heavy-metal football, not the full-throttle gegenpressing that made this rivalry so compelling or which gave Liverpool a unique ability to eviscerate City.”
The Daily Mail‘s Oliver Holt also sees Liverpool as Man City‘s biggest title challengers:
“The result did little to dispel the notion that City will win their fourth league title in a row this season. The strong belief is that the longer the season goes on and as players like Kevin de Bruyne and John Stones come back into the team, they will get stronger and stronger.
“But Liverpool, who are doing a fine job for a team in transition, restated their credentials to be their closest challengers with this point.
“Arsenal may still be the team to push City closest but Liverpool are working towards a new rhythm with a new side.”
Finally, BBC Sport‘s Phil McNulty feels that Liverpool always have a “puncher’s chance” because of the talent they possess:
“Alexander-Arnold turned the taunts back on City’s fans after he drilled Liverpool’s crucial equaliser past Ederson.
“It had not been the easiest afternoon for Alexander-Arnold in the face of the direct running and trickery of Doku, but his ability on the ball has never been questioned and he showed it again to earn Liverpool a point…
“Liverpool, as they have done on previous occasions this season, showed that they are a constant menace who must be put away when you get chances.
“They were nowhere near their best, but a team with this array of attacking talent, augmented by Alexander-Arnold, always have a puncher’s chance and they proved it again as they left with a valuable point.”
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