Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola were both left satisfied after a goalless draw at Anfield left their sides level on points at the top of the Premier League.
Champions Manchester City have not won a league game at Liverpool in 15 years, with Riyad Mahrez wasting a glorious opportunity to send them clear when he missed a late penalty.
City’s £60m summer signing from Leicester City fired an 85th-minute spot-kick high over the bar after substitute Leroy Sane had been brought down by Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk.
It handed the Reds a reprieve as both sides extended their unbeaten league starts to eight games, with City now top on goal difference from Chelsea and Liverpool – all three are level on 20 points.
Liverpool boss Klopp said: “It is a very intense, an unbelievable challenge to face Manchester City always – I’ve said that before – and as the last game of an intense period, it makes the challenge even bigger, so I am really happy with what the boys did.
“We’ve played City now that often and they’re just outstanding.”
City felt they were denied two earlier penalty claims when Dejan Lovren bundled over Sergio Aguero and Van Dijk handled in an aerial challenge – referee Martin Atkinson waving away the first appeal and awarding a foul for a push by Fernandinho in the second incident.
Mahrez also squandered City’s other big chance in a game that failed to live up to expectations, dragging an effort wide, while keeper Ederson was virtually unemployed against Liverpool’s normally potent attack.
City manager Guardiola said: “We’ve had 40 or 50 years of not winning here and often we’ve lost. It’s a good result – I’m so satisfied with what we have done.
“As a team you know Liverpool will punish our mistakes, and at the back we controlled it very well. So, it would be better to win at Anfield, but we don’t lose, last season we lost here, this season we draw, maybe next season we win, we will see.”
–
Source: BBC
