Had this been the beginning of the season and Liverpool had just come away from the Etihad with a fighting 2-2 draw against Manchester City we could say that this has been a superb result for the Reds, an early blow in the league title race for City, two points dropped at home. However with six weeks left of the Premier League perhaps this was a missed opportunity for Liverpool.
At the weekend we witnessed a pulsating game of football, the kind of match you get excited about before, during and after. It was a titanic battle and we got to see 4 goals, some good ones too. Kevin De Bruyne scored after just 5 minutes which really set the tone of the game although to be fair City had come charging out of the blocks even before then. But Liverpool kept the threat up and Diogo Jota was able to equalise soon after the Belgian's opening goal. Jota is having a terrific season and when it isn't clicking for Mohamed Salah, Jota is usually there to get the goals.
The talk before the game was that City could slip up here because ultimately they did not have a classic no.9. but Gabriel Jesus had one of his better games in that position and made it 2-1 before half time. As the second half started Sadio Mane scored perhaps the best goal of the game, but then didn't go over to the Liverpool fans he had just scored in front of as they were so jubilant, stranger things have happened in football. Raheem Sterling thought he had won the game with a goal but VAR ruled it out and the game finished 2-2. Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola came together at the end and it is so refreshing to see two fantastic top managers who have to be rivals on the pitch acknowledge each other and respect one another after the game.
City have 73 points and Liverpool have 72 in a normal season you'd say game on, but in this season with how these two teams play many are now favouring City to go on and win their remaining games and win back to back titles. The bookmakers think so too.
To win the Premier League: Manchester City 1.44, Liverpool 3.00, Chelsea 501.00
At the other end of the table it was a great weekend for Everton and how many times could that be said this season. Coming off of a devastating 3-2 defeat against Burnley, Everton were expected to lose against Manchester United. But Everton were at least at home and we know their form is much better in front of their fans. Anthony Gordon who has been brilliant for Everton scored the only goal of the game albeit from a wicked deflection but he and every Everton fan gladly took that. And let's face it despite how poor Everton have been this season they have had many unlucky moments and decisions go against them. In the end the biggest shock wasn't that Everton beat Manchester United it was that United didn't show much of a fight back. There are many deep and grave problems with Ralf Rangnick's side and it will be interesting to see how their summer develops and who will come in to manage them. As for Everton they went 4 points clear of the relegation zone and got the icing on top of their Toffee cake as both Burnley and Watford lost.
Thomas Tuchel was so angry after Chelsea were beaten 4-1 against Brentford and then 3-1 against Real Madrid- both home games that it seemed inevitable that Chelsea would react against Southampton. But that is only one part of the story. The other part is that his anger had such a ripple effect that even Timo Werner made a game of it and scored his first goals since October. Werner scored a brace as Chelsea thumped Southampton 6-0 away from home. Perhaps the Saints should be thankful it wasn't another 9-0 defeat which they have suffered recently in the past against Leicester and Manchester United, although it could have well been. The win was great news for Chelsea and it should dispel any stories that they will implode and lose a top 4 position by the end of the season, they look a shoe in for third place now.
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