Manchester City moved up to second in the Premier League table and kept their 100% home league record alive with a 2-1 win over Liverpool this evening.
Philippe Coutinho gave the visitors the lead in the 24th minute after Raheem Sterling had taken the ball past Joe Hart and left it for the Brazilian to slide into the empty net.
City skipper Vincent Kompany levelled things up with a downward header from a corner seven minutes later before Alvaro Negredo got what proved to be the winner when Simon Mignolet failed to keep out his shot at the end of the first half.
Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at a thoroughly entertaining match at the Etihad.
Match statistics:
Man City:
Shots 20
On target 6
Possession 52%
Corners 7
Fouls 10
Liverpool:
Shots 12
On target 5
Possession 48%
Corners 6
Fouls 9
Was the result fair?
The match was such an entertaining, free-flowing affair that neither side deserved to lose it. Both teams played really positive football throughout and could have had more goals than the two and one that they respectively managed. Liverpool will feel gutted having lost this game for a number of reasons. They had enough chances to win it, and the winning goal was gifted to City by a Simon Mignolet mistake. City, meanwhile, weren't as dominant as they usually are at home but they still looked dangerous on every attack. A draw would have been the fairest result today.
Man City's performance
This match was their biggest test yet at the Etihad in the league this season, and they came through it with a win. They weren't quite able to dominate the game in the same way they did against Arsenal, Tottenham or Manchester United, but every attack still carried great menace and they looked capable of scoring at any time. Had they had Sergio Aguero fit and firing then they may have won by a bigger margin, but three points was the main priority for today's match and they got that. It really is hard to see any team beating City here in the league this season.
Liverpool's performance
This match was seen by many as the biggest test of Liverpool's title credentials so far and, although they didn't come away with any points, it is fair to say that they enhanced their reputation as genuine contenders. No English side has been able to match City at home so far this season, yet Liverpool managed to do exactly that for large periods of the game. They played without fear and took the game to their hosts, creating enough chances to have picked up at least a point from the game. Overall, the result will obviously disappoint Rodgers, as will the fact that his side have now dropped to fourth in the league, but there are plenty of positives to take from the defeat.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Raheem Sterling: In a match that was dominated by the attacking players on either side, it was Sterling who outshone the likes of Luis Suarez and Alvaro Negredo. The youngster caused the City defence problems all evening long and showed his generous side when he let Coutinho have the finish for Liverpool's goal, which he had created. Before that, he had beaten the defence for pace and rounded Hart, only to be flagged for offside when he was a yard or two on. He did miss a glorious chance to equalise in the second half, but overall it was a very impressive display from the winger.
Biggest gaffe
There is only one winner here. Simon Mignolet looked to have a relatively simple save from Alvaro Negredo's effort at the end of the first half, but he flapped at the ball with one hand and actually ended up helping it into his own net. It was limp-wristed effort at what should have been a routine save, and it ended up costing his side the match.
Referee performance
By and large, the match went smoothly for Lee Mason as both sides were more intent on scoring goals than preventing the other team doing so. There were a couple of penalty shouts, but mostly it was for shirt-pulling in the box. Technically, it should be a foul - and Martin Skrtel in particular would have been penalised a lot for his treatment of Kompany - but if you start giving them then there would be six or seven penalties per match.
What next?
Man City: Next up for City is a home tie against a resurgent Crystal Palace side.
Liverpool: Liverpool, meanwhile, face another tough away day as they take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Barney Corkhill
