The famous tunnel riot between Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane in February 2005 is often used to highlight the classic rivalry between Arsenal and Manchester United. However, that match took place after a period when these two teams were the dominant teams in the Premier League. United moved into second place with a 4-2 win, but are now eight points behind the leaders, with Arsenal a further two points behind leaders Chelsea, who have a game in hand. But Arsenal vs. Manchester United remained the biggest show in town, as Jose Mourinho’s side failed to excite most neutrals.
This season’s Premier League title is still far from over – Arsenal are six points clear with 13 games to play – but there was a similar feeling at Anfield on Sunday, and even though Manchester City and Liverpool are no longer a title decider, it remains a must-see Premier League game.
A total of three goals have been scored in both teams’ three games against Arsenal this season, with three goals coming in the final 20 minutes of this game. Their rivalry was summed up by a ridiculous mutual foul between Erling Haaland and Dominik Szoboszlai, which ultimately ended in a disallowed “goal” from the halfway line. The two giants fought and exchanged blows, but afterwards they happily shook hands.
Erling Haaland and Dominik Szoboszlai battle it out in the final twist of the game (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)
This action was conducted completely separately from tactical combat.
For 70 minutes, this was a tense and fascinating contest, with both managers doing interesting things. Josep Guardiola used a narrow system and his Manchester City side were constantly finding extra players in midfield to slip the ball in behind the Liverpool defence, including when Haaland created a decent chance just after the start. Liverpool successfully rotated their attacking positions to open up passing lanes and create chances. Both Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike should have done better from spurious chances. For the first time this season, this was a big Premier League match based on the quality of open play. Still, they all had little to do with the scoreline.
Instead, the goals came from Szoboszlai’s powerful long-range free-kick, Bernardo Silva’s smart finish from Haaland’s knockdown which felt like a combination of a 1990s big man and little man, and Haaland’s winning goal from the penalty spot after Alisson, the league’s most reliable goalkeeper in recent years, unnecessarily jumped into the situation. Of course, none of the goals can necessarily be considered “against the course of play,” but none of the incidents actually stemmed from what either team was actually trying to do.
Erling Haaland’s penalty gives City a rare three points at Anfield (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)
This is a feature of this season’s Premier League. It is difficult to draw a direct line between a manager’s tactical decisions and the outcome of a match.
Just a few years ago, this felt relatively easy. Contests were aimed at gaining dominance in midfield, forcing certain players into space, or dominating one zone on the pitch. Elsewhere, that’s still the case. For example, the big match of the day in the Women’s Super League was determined by the presence of one player who joined the team with a specific mission. She perfectly scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory.
But Premier League matches are so frenetic, centered around duels, man-marking and individual decision-making, that it increasingly feels like managers have no control at all. That also applies to Guardiola, the ultimate control freak. And that certainly applies to Arne Slott’s Liverpool.
Last season, Liverpool won some games in a “boring” manner, taking a 2-0 lead and then ending the match by either sitting back and defending or retaining possession at a low tempo, with some nostalgic for the back-and-forth style previously seen under Jurgen Klopp. Similarly, there was a perception that the reason Klopp’s Liverpool underperformed last season was precisely because they were unable to apply the handbrake.
Liverpool have had a lot of ups and downs this season. Milos Kerkes is all about overlap from left-back. Szoboszlai was converted from number 10 to right-back. Coach Wirtz made the midfield more attack-oriented. The frenzy of a Premier League match, combined with the intense demands of home supporters looking to jump into the momentum by scoring more goals, means Liverpool are often unable to slow down.
For the 10 minutes they were in the lead yesterday, Liverpool held the ball and did not try to slow the tempo. There was no instance of wasted time. Coach Slott did not make any changes to strengthen the midfield, instead continuing to use four attackers. And Liverpool ended up in some crazy situations. Do you really need seven players in and around the box in a 1-0 situation?
Is Kerkes allowed to aimlessly slam this ball downfield and give the ball back to City? Not so, according to a visibly frustrated Mohamed Salah.
Is it reasonable for Liverpool to be open enough for City to pass through the midfield to the most dangerous striker in the Premier League (who can also turn and run towards goal)?
For a neutral, there is much to admire about all of this. The match was a lot of fun as there was a lot of ambition on both sides. But sometimes this becomes naive, with Liverpool seemingly unable to read the game at all.
The bizarre incident at Bournemouth was exemplified by the fact that they spent five minutes having fun with 10 men, rather than letting the ball go out to bring on a substitute. Liverpool just want to play. They don’t want to think about it.
Virgil van Dijk shouted at his team-mates for being “too open” after they conceded against Newcastle last weekend. Alisson’s mistake on City’s penalty had a similar feel to Ibrahima Konate’s ill-advised diving penalty away to Leeds United. Liverpool were heading for a 2-0 victory, but the game ended in a draw. Liverpool’s shape looks less structured and their defensive players often make hasty decisions.
A last-minute defeat against a team that has won four of the last five Premier League titles is forgivable, but Liverpool’s worst record of the season has been against promoted teams. They have played five times and have only won once, thanks to a last-minute penalty against Burnley.
On Wednesday, they will play their sixth and final game with this trio, against a Sunderland side who, while lacking in ingenuity at times, are grounded and tactically disciplined. For Liverpool at the moment, that’s a recipe for disaster.