Liverpool: Three Key Matches That Defined Their Season
1. November 10, Liverpool take down the champions Man City
In boxing, typically in order to beat the champion and claim the belt you have to knock them out cold. That’s what happened at Anfield when the belt holders dressed in their trademark hot blue jerseys walked onto the pitch to defend their title.
Coming into the match, Pep Guardiola‘s club was already struggling with key injuries and inconsistent play. However, they were only six points behind Liverpool and had dominated the league in every offensive category.
Most importantly, they still held the title
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The first knockdown of the match came as a result of a no-call. In the fourth minute, the ball was played into the box and there was a possible handball by Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold. The play was not halted as City players vehemently complained and threw their arms in the air as if they were at a rave.
Liverpool took advantage of this mental and physical lapse in play by countering down the pitch leading to an incredible Fabinho shot which landed in the net for the first goal. The xG on that shot was 0.02. It was a sublime clinical finish.
The alleged handball was never called. I watched it 7,652 times over a pint of chocolate ice cream and I changed my mind on whether it should have been a City penalty shot 7,652 times. It did not matter.
The first knockdown left Manchester City stunned and wobbling. The Reds went in for the final blow taking advantage of a leaky City defense leading to a Mohamed Salah header in the eighteenth minute. The match was essentially finished at that point as the league leaders won 3-1.
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Manchester City won on xG 1.48 to 1.33. However, as the score indicates, it was Liverpool that did a far better job at clinical finishing. It was the Reds who took advantage of City’s mental and physical errors.
Most importantly, it was Liverpool that knocked out the champion and metaphorically took hold of the title belt. This moment showed the league that it might be their season after all.