(Manchester City 3–2 Liverpool) Great entertainment is often provided when Manchester City and Liverpool meet. Thursday’s League Cup match was no exception.
A goal celebration in which Manchester City pulled the longest drop ensured the team secured the quarter-finals of the tournament.
In the third last obstacle to the league cup trophy, the Azzurri face Mohamed Elyounoussi’s Southampton away.
And Erling Braut Haaland (22) is one of those who will be credited with having entered the pits in the quarterfinals.
It had been 40 days since he had been in action in a significant game, but it took him just ten minutes to score his 24th goal in 19 appearances for Manchester City in all competitions.
While many of Liverpool and Manchester City’s stars have played at the World Cup, Haaland hadn’t played since 12 November against Brentford.
After just ten minutes, Haaland slotted in Kevin De Bruyne’s cross after the Norwegian had punished a sleeping Joe Gomez.
– Haaland is doing very well. He gets out of line of sight of the defenders and before you know it, he’s right in front of you. The perfect striker, says Dion Dublin, Coventry’s 90s attacking hero of the BBC radio broadcast.
– It’s great at Haaland, says Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher The broadcast of Sky Sports.
Haaland was substituted after 73 minutes of play, but it’s a bit strange that there was only one goal on Thursday night.
Liverpool were given a warning after only 15 seconds had been played.
Haaland was played against goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher in midfield.
The Norwegian rather surprisingly blasted the ball wide for the goal.
But ten minutes later he was recognizable.
He mercilessly punished Joe Gomez after a cross from De Bruyne.
Haaland hid behind the back of the Liverpool stopper, slotted the post into the nets and the scoring spectacle began.
Ten minutes later, Liverpool stopper Joel Matip was on his usual adventure.
He singled on James Milner and crossed into a free Fabio Carvalho which finished safely into the corner.
Then it really took off in the second half.
A minute had gone by when Rodri struck in a smooth cross for Riyad Mahrez.
The latter’s first touch was also brilliant: when he caught Andy Robertson on the bed, he cut and cornered the ball into the far corner. Very beautifull!
The home crowd had just time to sit after Mahrez’s goal before there was applause in the away leg.
Substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored one fantastic external pass for Darwin Núñez who rushed towards the City goal.
He served Mohamed Salah, who was entrusted with the simple task of controlling the ball with an open goal.
The Christmas cheer died down a bit after Liverpool’s second equalizer of the game, but only for 10 minutes. The very active Kevin De Bruyne struck Still a nice cross for Nathan Aké at the far post.
There were no Liverpool players around the quarter-finals of the World Cup, who could score the fifth goal of the night.
There were many great chances for both teams, but it finished 3-2.
Liverpool play Aston Villa away in the league on Boxing Day at 6.30pm, while Manchester City play Leeds United away at 9.00pm on Wednesday 28 December.
