LIVERPOOL 0, MAN CITY 0
Riyad Mahrez spurned the chance to become Manchester City’s hero and end their Anfield hoodoo.
The £60million club record summer signing blazed a penalty high over the crossbar five minutes from time as City looked for a first win at their arch rivals since April 2003.
The wait goes on as City have not won on their last 18 visits to Liverpool following this match that was billed as the biggest so far in the Premier League.
City remain top of goal difference from Chelsea and Liverpool as all three team remain unbeaten. And with Arsenal and Tottenham only two points adrift, it is shaping up to be a compelling Premier League campaign.
After last season’s four epic encounters involving City and Liverpool in the league and Champions League, there was an air of expectancy going into this clash of heavyweight.
City were left to rue what might have been, especially as substitute Gabriel Jesus also had an eye on taking the penalty.
Manager Pep Guardiola explained it was his decision that Mahrez took the penalty as the players looked to the bench after designated taker Sergio Aguero had been taken off.
“I see Riyad taking penalties in training every day and that gave me confidence. I apologised afterwards,” he said.
Guardiola admitted it was a “clear chance” to record a long-awaited win at Anfield, but was not unhappy with the draw.
“It is a point and better than last year,” he said, referring to last season’s two defeats on the ground.
Guardiola added it was his intention to slow down play as he continued: “They are the best team in the world in transition (on the break) and in that situation they are better than us.
“They are an incredible attacking team but only had one shot on target and our back four was outstanding in controlling the game.
“We missed creativity, but that is natural as they are so strong. We cannot forget the team we were playing against.”
Liverpool’s clean sheet meant they have not conceded a home league goal in 841 minutes, a measure of how much they have improved defensively since van Dijk was signed.
Benjamin Mendy returned at left back for City after missing the last six games through injury.
The Anfield clash proved too soon for Kevin de Bruyne, though, after he only returned to training this week following his lay off.
Guardiola went with John Stones and Aymeric Laporte as his centre-defensive pairing as Vincent Kompany and Nicolas Otamendi were on the bench.
Mahrez was preferred to Leroy Sane in what was otherwise their expected line up.
Liverpool’s front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, much admired by Guardiola, all lined up against City.
There was one surprise selection as Dejan Lovren made his first appearance of the season with Trent Alexander-Arnold losing out.
Naby Keita, who spent the night in hospital in Italy after suffering a back spasm against Napoli, had recovered to take his place on the bench.
Liverpool began at an electrifying pace with Salah firing narrowly wide and then was denied by Laporte as he looked set to connect with Mane’s cross from the left.
City weren’t being given time and space to play due to Liverpool’s high pressing game, but it was a game in which both sides cancelled out one another in the middle of the park.
Liverpool were forced to make a change just short of the half hour when former City player James Milner limped off to be replaced by Keita.
After a first period that failed to live up to the pre-match billing – there wasn’t a goal attempt on target – there were expectations it could only get better after the restart.
It remained much of the same, though Liverpool were the more attack-minded team.
City had the best chance of the game to break the deadlock shortly after the hour when Mahrez breezed past left-back Andy Robertson but dragged his shot narrowly wide.
Mahrez then forced a save from Alisson Becker, a relatively straightforward low stop to keep out his angled shot.
Salah then forced Ederson to make an easy catch as he tried to bend in a shot from the right. It was the first save either keeper had made in the 62nd minute.
City made their first change midway through the half, a straight swop up front as Gabriel Jesus replaced Aguero.
Mahrez forced another save from Alisson with a shot from a tight angle when team-mates were better placed in the middle.
City’s second change with 14 minutes left saw Sane replace Raheem Sterling who had been jeered all match.
The defining moment of the match came in the 85th minute when Virgil van Dijk took down substitute Sane near the by-line and referee Martin Atkinson had no hesitation pointing to the spot.
After some deliberation, it was Mahrez who stepped up and blaze the spot kick high into the stand behind the goal where City fans were located.
In a game of few clear-cut chances this was the one that, if taken, would have moved City two points clear of Chelsea and three ahead of Liverpool such are the fine margin at the top of the table.