Thriller at Anfield! | Liverpool 3-2 Man City | Classic Premier League Highlights

The 13th of April 2014 saw Liverpool take on Manchester City at Anfield in a match billed as the biggest game of the season so far and a potential title decider. Fifth at the turn of the year, the home side were now on a 14-game unbeaten run that had taken them to the top of the Barclays Premier League. Four points ahead of City in third and two above Chelsea, Liverpool were now seen as title favourites in many people's eyes. A defeat for City would leave them with an awful lot to do. That said, they did have games in hand and had shown glimpses of the form required to become champions during recent wins against Manchester United, Southampton and Hull. But this was the ultimate test in a hostile environment. Brendan Rodgers kept faith with the same starting XI that had scraped past West Ham a week earlier. Luis Suarez continued to partner Daniel Sturridge in attack. Between them, they'd scored 49 league goals. Defender Daniel Agger was on the bench after injury. Manuel Pellegrini made just one change. Gaël Clichy came in for Alexander Kolarov at left back. Sergio Aguero returned to the squad after missing five games with a hamstring problem, but Mataja Nastasic was still missing because of a knee injury. So two free-flowing sides going head-to-head in front of a passionate Anfield crowd. This was the stage where dreams really could start to become reality. The referee was Mark Clattenburg, the commentators Jim Beglin and Peter Drury. So Liverpool, a generation on. Never more acutely aware of their own brilliant and burdensome history. And Manchester City, modern. A very 21st century force. And then there's Chelsea. There are three of them. And after this, there are four weeks to go. Just feel it. If Liverpool win their remaining games, they will be champions. If Manchester City win their remaining games, they will be champions. But then there is this game. They can't both win this one. The one on which for now, Jim, it all pivots. Yeah, and Chelsea will be hoping very much for a draw. Manas with the touch that came to Suarez. And he's bounced off Clichy. And he's fed it through here for Sterling. Raheem Aration, since the cop was this loud. I'll tell you, when this is fed through to Raheem Sterling, there's still quite a bit for him to do. For a 19-year-old to show such composure just tells you how much he's developed. Brilliant play by Suarez to begin with. The little run by Sterling around the back of Kompany. But he's taken both Joe Hart and Vance and Kompany on a little journey here. Just watch the way he turns inside, then back again to through them. Two of them are completely sold. And it's a magical little finish. And what a start by Liverpool. Man City before today hadn't conceded in the first 15 minutes, I believe. Well, they have now. Dzeko away from Sterling. Squeezed back towards Nasri. Teed up for Toure. And he was never quite balanced over the shot. And he's hurt. And he's pulled up, yeah. Seems to be the left knee. Well, that is not a pretty picture for Manchester City. This wasn't good defending by Martin Skirtley. Sold himself, made it easy for Dzeko. It's a bit stubbed there. But Nasri has done very well to keep it alive and set Toure up. Just got himself in an awkward position. Oh, it looks like Javi Garcia is going to replace him. Plainly speaking, that is such a pity. Any fair-minded individual would be sorry to see such a key figure in this wonderful title race withdrawn at this stage of such a key game. At least Manchester City are enjoying a better spell of possession now. Sakho away from Fernandinho. And now Johnson under pressure from Dzeko. Klici there before Sturridge. Nasri. Silva. Nasri. Silva. Zabaleta. Navas. Jesus Navas. Skirtle was strong. And Flanagan heaved it out to Suarez. And Liverpool can counter here with Sterling. Held up by Garcia. Now Sturridge. Sturridge. He might get another bite. Dimitris did just about enough. Well, it was measured by Liverpool. There was nothing forced. Everything was carefully thought out. And Sturridge was just a foot away of getting that through. 25 minutes have flown by at Anfield. Coutinho's corner. Terrific save. Well, Manchester City must be wondering how they've allowed the Liverpool skipper such room. He's in oceans of space to get the header away. And I think the fortunate thing for Joe Hart is that it's central. That it's towards him. But that's still a tremendous save. Steven Gerrard's one open play goal this season. The header against Everton in the derby here. He got plenty behind that. But didn't Joe Hart do well to turn it over? Gerrard again. Skirtle! Almost converted the corner moments before his delivery. What a header it is for Martin Skirtle. And you just wonder whether Joe Hart saw it all the way. It's just the perfect glancing header. And Hart reacts a little bit late. It's very hard to defend that front post when it's delivered that quickly. But it's just the perfect, perfect contact from the Slovakian. Suddenly Liverpool's to lose. Feel it. So what have City got now? What they have got, don't forget it. What they have got is more than an hour here. And two games in hand. This is not the title decider. But I tell you what, if the title decider feels better than this, I want to be there. Silva. Garcia. Navas. Dzeko. Good block by Skirtle. That's what he's paid to do. Played early for Suarez. Sterling through the middle. Sturridge far side. Suarez away from Demichelis. He's played it in here, potentially for Sturridge. And it's swept behind by Zabaleta. Well, Manchester City are being ripped apart now. They're experiencing what the Everton's, what the Arsenal's, what the Tottenham's have suffered here at the moment. When have you seen City look so unsure? Coutinho's corner. Sturridge competing. And it bounces down for Hart. Pellegrini. He's got the option of another change if he wants at halftime. If he just wants to try and inject a bit more life going forward, Peter. I was about to ask you that question, Jim. I wonder if it is 2-0 at halftime. How soon it will be before he feels the need to unleash Aguero? Oh, we'll see what kind of mood he's in. I mean... Oh, it's an error by Mignolet, which he has got away with. Well, little lapses in concentration like that can be fatal. I mean, Mignolet's a very lucky man there. Yeah, I think he gives it maybe 10, 15 minutes. He has to give Aguero enough time. Sturridge. A bit fancy in the face of Fernandinho. In though by Henderson, away by Demichelis. Nasri, Silva. Beautifully cushioned touch. And now Nasri can run at them. And Navas is wide of him. Jesus Navas. Silva! He's got a touch on the way through. And it's a corner. Well, Saka was saying that it didn't come off mean. He's just protested. But this is a wonderful break. And Navas, in that much space, you're looking for a decent delivery. And he finds David Silva. And it might have been the barest touch of the Frenchman. I'm not sure, but Manchester City have got the corner anyway. 90 crucial seconds before halftime. Well, Sterling was one of them on the line. Extraordinarily, he wasn't the only one. Liverpool still have a player down. Sturridge on the counter. And he's overrun it. Yeah. Johnson was the other. It was Johnson, yeah. And Johnson was taken out as he basically cleared one off the line. But I thought Mignolet caused all that. The goalkeeper got in another flap. That's two nervy moments from Simon Mignolet. And you're right, Peter. Sterling with another very valuable contribution as well. Remarkable. This kid we'd barely heard of a year ago. He's becoming the key cop. Silva. Clear sheet. Zabaleta. Navas. Spooned up by Navas. Fernandinho! Saved by Mignolet. Magnificent plunge. That is a stunning save. This is some save. This really is absolutely stunning. I mean, he gets enough on it even though he hits it into the ground, Fernandinho. There's a lot of power behind it and it had to be sharp. Now watch Mignolet here. He just doesn't get anywhere near it. Sterling with the first, Johnson with the second. And he's fouled by Fernandinho. Hence the Liverpool free kick. Sturridge. Oh, it's beautiful. And Suarez against Kompany. And I suspect behind. It's a corner. Kompany wants a decision because he feels that Suarez just knocked him over as he tried to defend it. And there will only be time for this corner. Coutinho deep. Parks is the last touch. Well, time will tell. But it's possible that you've just witnessed the 45 defining minutes of this season. Just possible. Liverpool at the top of the Barclays Premier League, lead their likeliest challengers here at Anfield at halftime by two goals to nil. At this stage, and this is where nerves come in, at this stage it is Liverpool's to lose. City's to chase. In the space of 10 days over the first half of March, Manchester City won the League Cup, went out of the FA Cup, went out of the Champions League. Since then, played five, won four, drawn one. 13 points from 15. Right on the shoulder of the leaders. But Liverpool's form eclipses even that. Seeking here what would be their 10th Premier League win in a row. And here's the change. James Milner has been observed several times this season. What a good pro he is given the number of times he's not in the starting 11. He would be in almost anyone else's. And he will play almost all of the second half. In place of Jesus Navas. Chalice, Zabaleta, Milner. Carried by Flanagan. Allowed to go and feed it in for Milner. And Sacco got a toe on it. I just don't think Liverpool are pressing nearly as well now. And Brendan Rodgers must be a bit concerned. Milner, Silva, it's off-skirt law. And the flag is raised. Yeah, the Manchester City fans thought they'd got one back there. Now, does this go over the line? Yes, it does. It's not quite the same assurance about Liverpool in the second half. No. I mean, nerves have really crept into it now, no doubt. And Liverpool seem to have gone into retreat mode. Dzeko, Fernandinho. Manchester City can sniff this uncertainty. Milner. Fernandinho, Milner. It's a lovely exchange. It's in. David Silva has Manchester City right back in the thick of the battle. This is brilliant football. But Liverpool have basically just stood and watched all this happen. Soon as it's fed out wide to Milner, it's just sensational work from here. The quickness of the play, the movement from James Milner, the pullback. And we know he floats like a butterfly, David Silva. But he needed to sting like a bee, and he has. He's now delivered for Manchester City right back in it. And they are on to this Liverpool edginess now. We've got a game on our hands. Flanagan. Well, we're at a stage of the game now, Peter, where Manchester City's experience of being in this position before, many of their players have been in this position a couple of seasons ago, could count against Liverpool in experience. The nervousness of a title run-in. End up at Dzeko. It's come back to Silva. And Milner fires it across the face and Skrtle lost it. And Gerrard scrapes it out. And Liverpool are living on their nerves now. Coutinho. And they won't manage that for half an hour. Not against this City team. Well, and all of a sudden, it's not quite working. Loose touch from Coutinho. He ends up having to stab it in hope. Ball lost again. And in the immediate aftermath of the City goal, the Kop tried to do its bit and regather itself and make a noise. But even it sounds a bit sheepish at times now. I think one of the problems for Liverpool as well is the front two, the SAS, are malfunctioning. And here's Silva again. David Silva against Skrtle. And Silva once more. And Dzeko was a stud's length away from equalising. Well, anybody listening to the atmosphere now can just sense that Manchester City fans all of a sudden have got anticipation in their minds. Liverpool fans are just full of nervous tension. Composure, a certain swagger of our City now. Klesic. Milner. Silva. Nasri. Silva. Liverpool's collective dismay. The Kop's disbelief. Roll up your sleeves and go again. How has that happened? Well, it's taken a deflection. That's what's deceived Simon Mignolet, certainly. But you asked me when Milner came on, what's he going to bring? Well, he's brought a consistency. He's hardly given the ball away. And once Silva gets it, it just clips Glenn Johnson on its way across. And Mignolet just can't react and get enough behind this to keep it out. And all of a sudden, this stadium is in absolute shock. But Manchester City, I think, deserve this because they've really come on strong before half-time and after. Gerrard. Look at the lead from the front. Suarez, attempting to play him in. Sterling, by the way, is ailing a bit as well for Liverpool right now. Yeah, and I thought we'd see Coutinho just drop back a bit, Peter, or certainly just play in the Sterling role, but it's not. Coutinho is now playing with Suarez. Dzeko! Beaten out by Mignolet. Silva, Nasri, Gerrard away. Milner. Garcia. The tide has changed dramatically. Nasri. Milner. Silva. Nasri went for goal. No, the save from Dzeko was the important one. And, well, not a bad player to bring on in a situation like this, is he? Sergio Aguero. Oh, Skrtl sold himself and Liverpool are in trouble now. It's Aguero. It's Silva! It's wide. We're talking fractions, that's all. Liverpool are hanging on by fractions here. And Martin Skrtl makes a bad decision. He should be just jockeying his way and stay goalside with Aguero. He allows himself to get too tight, he's turned. And it's a cracking little ball, isn't it, from the Argentine. And it's studs is all he can get on it. David Silva, Ani Moore, and Liverpool are 3-2 down. Sterling. Turner-Chalas almost into the top tier. Johnson's throw. Please, he can't celebrate. That's weak from Kompany. Coutinho! It's to play. Well, this is just an absolute shocker. And the last thing you'd expect from Van Zyl and Kompany. And look at him. He just kind of goes straight down on his haunches as soon as he does this. Hands it to Coutinho. But I take nothing away from the Brazilian. He had to get good power behind it. He had to get the accuracy and a little bit of bend to boot. And he got it all to deceive Joe Hart. Wow. Of all the expected twists and turns, of all the faces of joy and grimaces of despair, that Liverpool, who a quarter of an hour ago felt on the point of disintegration, should battle back in this way, whatever next. Well, can they hold on? That's the question now. I mean, can they keep the nerves at bay and just keep Manchester City out? Savaleta will take a corner from that. Milner will take that corner. Watched out to Milner again. Silva. Against Gerrard and into the Kop. Yeah, it's just vital that Liverpool stop anything coming in. If they can, obviously they can't do much about a set piece. But certainly crosses, they've got to get in the way. Milner again to Michelis. Emile clasps it. Yeah, and for once he didn't make the run to the front post. Demi Chelis, he's just kind of held his ground centrally. There's not enough power to beat Mignolet. That kind of day is there to watch. Putting us through hell. I thought it was City fans who turned around and looked the other way. Demi Chelis. Savaleta. Heading towards Aguero time. Silva. Milner. Deep towards Demi Chelis. Away by Skrtle. Moses is first there. Suarez is up ahead of him. Moses' touch was thick. Company repelled. Henderson swept up. His touch was thick and nervous. His arrival was late. His feet were up. And Klattenberger sent him off. Jordan Henderson red-carded. Two and a half minutes into stoppage time. And Liverpool have two and a half minutes to survive with ten. Well, obviously this has been deemed to be a two-footed lunge. Do you know, it's not two-footed. He's actually led with one. But it's in a dangerous fashion. Suarez could run for the hills. He's given it back to Silva. Out by Moses. Bonus time now. Brendan Rodgers urging his players to hang in there. 24 years since anything like this. Be careful not to party too much. There's a month to go. Look at how together they are. It's the heartbeat of Liverpool. They have beaten Manchester City here. And if they win the rest, they are champions. As the history books wrote it. Liverpool 3. Manchester City 2. Yes, a fitting finale to a game played with great spirit. Liverpool did go again, as Steven Gerrard said they must. But after beating Norwich, faced Chelsea at Anfield. And lost 2-0. Effectively ending their fight for glory. Aside from drawing at home to relegation-threatened Sunderland. Manchester City went on to win all of their remaining fixtures. And so lifted the Premier League trophy for a second time. They also won the League Cup to underline their domestic dominance.