Liverpool beat Manchester City 3-2 in a dramatic and emotionally-charged game at Anfield on Sunday. Emotions were running high all day at Anfield as the club commemorated 25 years since the Hillsborough disaster in which 96 of their supporters died at an FA Cup semi-final. City showed their class. The visiting fans, doing their club proud, held up a long banner of “YNWA 96” in the away end and then joined in the immaculate observation of the minute’s silence. The Kop was transformed into a mosaic, highlighting “96” and “25 YEARS”.

The Merseyside club now have a seven-point cushion on Manuel Pellegrini's men, although the City still have two games in hand.

The emotions were pouring from the terraces, and the adrenalin was running through Rodgers’ players but there was intelligence in their movement and ice in the veins. Luis Suárez had a hot-headed moment, catching Martín Demichelis, and being deservedly cautioned by Mark Clattenburg before parading his more composed side, slipping Sterling through. The teenager slowed, revealing superb poise, turning and then stroking the ball past Hart.
City’s horrendous start soon worsened. Touré tweaked his right adductor wafting a shot into the Anfield Road End, carried on for a couple of minutes but eventually limped off. It deteriorated further after 26 minutes. Gerrard’s header from a Coutinho corner was athletically pushed over by Hart but Liverpool went for the jugular again. Gerrard drove the corner to the near post where Skrtel flicked a header home.
There were flickers of hope for City before the break and Mignolet denied Fernandinho. Manuel Pellegrini clearly delivered some inspiring words at the interval. There was a new mood to City, a new enterprise particularly when Milner came on.

And so this became one of the classic Premier League games, full of attacking and occasional controversy, not least when Suárez dived in close proximity to Demichelis, enraging City, who were expecting a second yellow card for Suárez. None arrived. Channelling their anger positively, City pulled a goal back after 57 minutes. Milner created the chance, finding Silva, whose finish flew past Mignolet.
Game on. Attacking the Kop, City were a team transformed, spreading nerves through the hosts. They equalised within five minutes.
This time it was Samir Nasri providing the opportunity for Silva, whose shot deflected in off Johnson.
Still City hunted another goal. Agüero came on and slid a ball across for Silva, whose effort just went wide. But then Kompany made a poor clearance, and Coutinho met the ball, sweeping it past Hart, and Liverpool were back in front.
There were still moments of concern. Henderson was sent off for going in studs raised on Nasri. Skrtel was fortunate that Clattenburg did not spot his deliberate handball. Liverpool held on.

Photo: Action Images

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