Liverpool player ratings vs Man City: Alexis Mac Allister is sensational, 3/10 stinks
Two Premier League behemoths came toe-to-toe at Anfield on Sunday afternoon (10 March) but Liverpool and Man City cancelled each other out in a hard-fought 1-1 draw.
The rivalry between the two North West giants has defined the last decade in the Premier League and Sunday’s clash will be remembered as the last meeting of a legendary rivalry between Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.
John Stones opened the scoring for City following a clever corner strategy before Alexis Mac Allister drew the hosts level from the spot.
PLAYER RATINGS
Caoimhin Kelleher [6]
The biggest compliment to be paid to Kelleher is that Liverpool have not missed Alisson.
The 25-year-old stood strong when City were on top in the first half and cannot be faulted for City’s goal. His distribution was not affected by City’s pressure and it’ll be hard for Klopp to drop him when Alisson returns.
Conor Bradley [7]
Another brilliant performance from Liverpool’s academy gem. The Reds started slowly but burst into life when the 20-year-old was on the ball.
Not only was Bradley a threat in possession, but he also made sure Julian Alvarez had a very quiet afternoon.
Jarell Quansah [7]
Ibrahima Konate was tipped to start but missed out through injury and Quansah – as he has done all season – made sure he wasn’t a major miss.
The 21-year-old already looks comfortable as a starter for Liverpool and he has forged a formidable partnership with Van Dijk that helped limit City to very few chances.
Virgil van Dijk [8]
A faultless display from the dominant Dutchman. Van Dijk was calm in possession and confident in his defending, even when faced one-on-one with Erling Haaland.
He is a strong contender not only for Liverpool’s player of the season but also for the Premier League player of the season.
Joe Gomez [4]
Struggled up against a brilliantly in-form Phil Foden on the left-hand side of Liverpool’s defence.
City exposed his weaknesses in what was easily his toughest test of the season and Kelleher spared his blushes in the second half with a brilliant save against Foden.
Wataru Endo [6]
A brave and selfless performance from Liverpool’s Japanese warrior. His defensive awareness and timely interceptions laid down a strong platform for both Szoboszlai and Mac Allister to push forward.
Endo coped well with both Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne in midfield and also had the fitness to cover both full-backs regularly.
Dominik Szoboszlai [5]
Should have done much better when presented with a golden opportunity to equalise in the first half.
Szoboszlai’s return to the starting lineup was a huge boost for Liverpool but he struggled to have a big impact on the game.
His mediocre performance was picked up by Klopp and he was replaced by Salah in the first half.
Alexis Mac Allister [9]
Pulled the strings in the heart of midfield for Liverpool. In a match surrounded by pressure and emotion, Liverpool’s Argentine maestro was just sensational – calm, composed and incisive on the ball, and brilliant off it.
He stepped up to take the most important kick of Liverpool’s season and did not crack.
Mac Allister proved he is worth his £35million transfer fee for this performance alone.
Harvey Elliott [6]
It was a surprise to see Elliott’s name in the starting lineup and, when tasked with the impossible job of replacing Mohamed Salah, he unsurprisingly fell short.
But covered every blade of grass and was vital to the superb counter-pressing of Klopp’s team.
He looked more comfortable once moved into midfield in the second half, but Elliott still ended up being a passenger.
Luis Diaz [3]
Diaz wilted in a game where Liverpool needed their biggest players to step up.
He was presented with three huge chances on a plate in the second half but he lacked the quality and composure to put his name up in lights.
He carried the ball well and was a creative spark in the second half but the Colombian arguably should have left Anfield with a hat-trick. If only he was as effective in the box as outside it.
Darwin Nunez [7]
Starved of chances in the first half but still caused City’s backline problems with his relentless running.
His efforts were immediately rewarded just a minute into the second half when he was taken out by Ederson to win the penalty.
Even when not on the scoresheet, Liverpool’s chaotic Uruguayan made a significant contribution.
SUBSTITUTES
Mohamed Salah [8] – Made an instant impact after coming off the bench to replace Szoboszlai. Liverpool immediately put City under huge pressure once the Egyptian was at the heart of every attack.
Andy Robertson [6] – His energy and tenacity is contagious and he gave Liverpool a much-needed lift once introduced.
Cody Gakpo [N/A] –
In other news, Liverpool shortlist manager trio to replace Jurgen Klopp after ‘huge twist’
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