Analyse all the Manchester City vs Liverpool stats from their clash at the Etihad Stadium, as Erling Haaland’s record-breaking 50th Premier League goal was erased by a late Trent Alexander-Arnold equaliser.
Such has been their rivalry over the past six seasons, there must be times when both Pep Guardiola and Jürgen Klopp wished the other didn’t exist. Today, the two great managers of the Premier League’s modern era cancelled each other out as Erling Haaland’s record-breaking 50th Premier League goal was erased by a late Trent Alexander-Arnold equaliser.
As we discussed in our pre-game breakdown, only three teams have taken points off City this season. Wolves beat them by sitting back and hitting their opponents on the break, but Chelsea and Arsenal had success by pressing aggressively high up the pitch and being fearless when in possession. It was always likely Liverpool were going to copy the formula of the latter two sides and so it proved, with Klopp’s men pressing high up front and trying to break through City’s lines with brave, vertical passing.
Now, that comes with risk, particularly against an opponent as strong as City. That risk was on display early on, as an uncharacteristic, fluffed pass from Allison gifted a chance for Phil Foden. The Englishman could only retort with a tame effort straight at the goalkeeper.
But that method can be extremely rewarding too: Curtis Jones’ backpass to Allisson midway through the first half was certainly a hairy moment, but after the Brazilian scrambled the ball away, Liverpool kept possession and sprung a counter-attack then ended up on the edge of City’s box.
It was slightly ironic that for all the talk about the Jérémy Doku-Alexander-Arnold matchup, it was actually City’s other left-sided player, Nathan Aké, who had a major part to play in the opening goal. Alisson – just as Liverpool had tried to do all first half – showed positive intent in trying to set Salah loose on a fast break, but his sliced clearance only made it halfway up the pitch where Aké collected.
The Dutchman then showed sparkling footwork to dance between Szoboszlai and Alexander-Arnold before sliding a ball through to Erling Haaland, who calmly gathered, pushed the ball out of his feet and fired home across Ederson. It was his 50th goal in the Premier League and he’d brought up that milestone in just 48 games, absolutely obliterating the previous record held by Andrew Cole (65 games).
Haaland has now scored against 20 of the 21 opposing sides he’s faced in the Premier League. The only exception in that list is Brentford. Thomas Frank, tell us your secrets.
In a game full of fine margins, it looked as though Haaland’s efficacy in front of goals versus Darwin Núñez’s wastefulness might prove the difference. The Uruguayan, who was on sparkling form for his country over the international break, got in behind on a few occasions in the first half, but couldn’t make the most of good opportunities.
Doku was indeed a constant menace on the left flank. The Belgian attempted a game-high 16 take-ons and completed 11 of them – both of those are the highest totals he’s managed in a single Premier League game this season. In fact, 11 completed take-ons is the most by a player in a single Premier League game since Allan Saint-Maximin completed 15 against Sheffield United in May 2021.
But with the score at 1-0 and City controlling the game without really creating much danger, there was always a threat they could inadvertently sleepwalk into something dangerous. And so, it happened.
Moments after Doku had waltzed past Matip to tee up a Haaland shot, Liverpool had equalised. The Reds raced up the pitch and 10 minutes from time, Alexander-Arnold received a square pass from Salah on the edge of the box before firing a shot into the bottom left corner.
It’s a result that brings to an end Manchester City’s 23-game home winning run in all competitions. They fall just one short of equalling the record for an English top-flight club, currently held by Sunderland between December 1890 and April 1892 (24, which includes a replayed victory over Notts County in the FA Cup).
Liverpool have now won just one of their last 15 Premier League away games against Man City (D6 L8), but Klopp will be the happier of the two managers here, particularly given the spirit his side showed in coming back from a goal down to salvage a point.
Our Opta match centre below delivers you all the Manchester City vs Liverpool stats from this Premier League game at the Etihad Stadium.
The match centre below includes team and player stats, expected goals data, passing networks, an Opta chalkboard and more. It gives you everything you need to do your own analysis during and after the game.
Underneath the match centre, you can find the official post-match Opta stats on the game as well.
Manchester City vs Liverpool Post-Match Stats
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- Erling Haaland’s opener for Manchester City was his 50th Premier League goal, reaching this tally in just 48 appearances, the fastest of any player in the competition’s history (previously Andrew Cole, 65).
- Following his assist for Trent Alexander-Arnold’s equaliser, Mohamed Salah has now been directly involved in 17 goals across his 19 appearances against Manchester City in all competitions for Liverpool (11 goals, 6 assists), more than he has against any other opponent since he joined the Reds in 2017-18.
- Liverpool have conceded the opening goal in six consecutive away Premier League games for the first time since November 2006. It’s also the first time Liverpool have started a league campaign without a single clean sheet in their first seven away games since 2004-05 (conceded in each of their first nine on the road that season).
- Manchester City have failed to win back-to-back Premier League games for a third time in 2023, as many instances as in the previous three years combined (2020 – 2022).
- Liverpool became the first side to stop Manchester City winning at the Etihad in all competitions since Everton in December 2022 (1-1), with City’s 23-game winning run on home soil coming to an end.
- Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has now scored against 20 of the 21 opposing sides he’s faced in the Premier League, with the only exception being Brentford.
- Manchester City winger Jéremy Doku completed 11 dribbles today, the most in a single Premier League game since September 2021 (Adama Traoré vs Brentford, also 11), while it’s the most on record (since 2006-07) a player has completed in a Premier League game against Liverpool.
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