Manchester City vs Liverpool: the new peak of modern football
This weekend brought us the hype of the first two teams on the Premier League table facing each other. They were separated by only one point, and according to many people with a microphone in their hands, Liverpool had the momentum. The match; however, proved that football is reaching new heights and these two teams are the ones trailblazing through it.
I was in awe to see Manchester City during the first half. It was a team that was having fun with the ball, so creative and yet so aggressive. They hit first, as a nervous Liverpool midfield could not control a quickly taken foul kick and at the end, the genius and drive of Kevin De Bruyne saw the ball inside the net (5'). The fans went wild. Once again, it felt that the Blue Moon was going to repeat another memorable 90 minutes.
Liverpool, despite of a nervy start woke up and hit back, luckily for the spectacle. Robertson crossed it, Alexander-Arnold passed it and Diogo Jota put it in, with a bit of luck may I add (13'). The ball was in, yet the dynamics of the first half did not change: City kept control of the ball pushing Liverpool against the ropes. Liverpool’s high line made things easier and we saw De Bruyne hit the outside of the post and just a few minutes later Gabriel Jesus scored alone in front of fellow Brazilian Alisson Becker (36').
The second half started with Mo Salah creating an opportunity for Sadio Mané that saw the back of the net, squaring everything out again (46'). Liverpool showed that they can hit too and started to showcase his famous play. It cannot be a match anymore without VAR intervention after Jesus scored in a very dubious offside position (64'). Both teams played the last thirty minutes of the match waiting for the other to lower its guard. That did not happen, expect for one last attempt by Riyad Mahrez who tried to be too fancy sending the ball to the sky (90').
Even though it ended in a 2–2 tie, the football was breathtaking: the physicality, creativity, aggression, dexterity and drive of all players on the field made this a master piece to watch. There is very little between these two power houses of English football, even their managers are incredible leaders and professionals who have changed modern football. In the aftermath of the game, both Guardiola and Klopp were autocritical of what could be improved, they expressed how proud they are of their teams.
We cannot but feel privileged to watch these two heading against each other over these last seasons. They represent, without any doubt, the new heights that all teams in the world should want to achieve.
