The Reds were held to a one one draw at home to Man City and once again at Anfield it was a case of what could have been but for a world class save late in the match. After being outplayed for the first twenty minutes or so the Reds upped their game and for me were the better side. We did concede the first goal but quickly reacted to equalise and were unlucky on a number of occasions not to get a winner. Given City had dropped just two points all season then this has to go down as a marker of what we need to aim for.
On a day when the world of football was shocked at the death of Gary Speed the game was started with a minute's silence. The silence was also the Reds' way to remember Brad Jones's son who died recently after a lengthy battle with leukemia. One thing for me that stood out in this was the Man City fans who reacted to both calls for silence superbly. Asking for a silence at grounds may be easy to make but for some reason the reaction of City fans stood out to me as top class.
On to the game and City got it started after Reina had won the toss and elected to defend the Kop in the first half.
City started well and they were getting the ball down from the start and playing it very neat and tidy. They were looking a class side and you could see why they were on top of the league.
Toure should have done better with a shot on seven minutes after Aguero had a poor header cleared.
On thirteen minutes the first yellow card came as Vincent Kompany went through the back of Suarez. He couldn't really complain - well he tried but for me on no basis and this was one of the tackles which was poor in a tough game where some good hard challenges went in.
A couple of minutes later and Glen Johnson flew past his man but after beating Clichy and looking to cross the ball he over ran it and a goal kick was the result.
At the other end Reina was called in to sweeper action as a poor back pass from Enrique was dreadfully weak and Aguero was prowling but with Reina so switched on he managed to slide out and just prevent the Argentine from getting the ball beyond him and a certain goal.
The second yellow card went to Lescott as he became the latest man to get a little too close to Suarez - so now both centre backs were on a yellow card.
The game was starting to really even itself out now but City still looked very dangerous going forward. Just after the half hour and City made it count by scoring at the Kop end through Kompany. City won a corner which was whipped in and after the ball went over Adam as first man Kompany beat his man to the ball and headed home - well shouldered the ball home as I've seen since.
The big thing for the Reds now was to not dwell on the goal, react well and up the tempo to Liverpool style and that's what happened.
Just two minutes after going behind the Reds were on a par again. Gareth Barry was booked between the two goals for a poor tackle on Lucas.
The goal came thanks to an own goal by Joleon Lescott who deflected Charlie Adam's shot past Hart. The shot from Adam was going wide of the target but the deflection wrong footed Hart but frankly I didn't care. The reaction was most important by the Reds and we were on equal terms again but now upping the tempo in our game which suited us better.
Anfield now was a cauldron of noise in a way it can be and on thirty seven minutes we were inches away from taking the lead as Charlie Adam side footed a shot to the bottom corner but with Hart chasing across his goal just managed to get a foot on the ball. Had he gone just a foot further across his goal he would have been beaten.
The Reds were now starting to get some shots away with Johnson blasting over the bar from distance.
As half time approached it was nearly the away side who took a lead as Aguero forced Reina in to a save at his near post. City still possessed that danger element and they have been scoring at will all season so however much we had got our tempo going we could never switch off.
The second half got underway with the Reds looking to build on the latter first half style and hopefully getting a winner whilst staying tight at the back. City started the half with Toure pushing forward more to support Aguero up top.
The Reds pushed forward well and Adam had a shot deflected wide early on. Kuyt had a header off target shortly afterwards as well.
On fifty four minutes City proved more wealth to us after both Richards and Aguero went down. It's rare for two men of the same side to be down injured but usually that still means each sides physio comes on to help the players. Not City though as they seem to have two physio's and after a while both players came back on after their treatment.
The game was being played in a good tough manner with both sides desperate to win and the ref deserves some credit in this as well for judging well a good tough tackle.
Just after the hour mark and City got a sub ready with Mario Balotelli getting stripped for the action only to disappear down the tunnel. He did come back and replaced Samir Nasri on sixty five minutes - he'd last eighteen minutes and probably should have stayed down the tunnel for all the good he made to City.
Joe Hart pulled off a great save under his cross bar from Downing. The winger met a volley well on the edge of the box. The ball hit the ground and was looping to the net before Hart tipped it over the bar.
The Reds had a let off after seventy tow minutes as Skrtel slipped trying to retreat to block a ball to Balotelli. However the Italian also slipped in his run towards the ball and the chance went.
On seventy six minutes with Enrique charging forward he got a little over excited as he neared the area and rather than playing a ball to Suarez he shot on goal - well that was his plan but it went wide.
City then saw Balotelli booked as he blatantly pulled Johnson down in full flight through the City half. There wasn't really a choice for them ref on that one and after some great tackles in the game that was very poor.
From the resulting free kick the Reds went close to scoring but Skrtel couldn't quite get enough power on a toe poke to the net from six yards and Hart grabbed the ball.
With the clock now ticking down City made a further change with Dzeko replacing Aguero up front and they now looked more of a 442 side from the 451 but that only lasted a minute as they were on to a 441. Mario Balotelli saw red after getting a second yellow card for raising his arms against Skrtel. Skrtel felt the arm of the Italian and was down with a facial injury and after initially looking like a free kick was all the ref was going to give he decided it warranted a second yellow and off the Italian went. I've seen it again since a few times on the replays and the problem the lad has is that he raises his arms across Skrtel knowing exactly where he is.
With City down to ten men there was now a real opportunity for the Reds to take advantage and grab a deserved winner.
Andy Carroll was sent on to replace Dirk Kuyt as we went two up top now rather than the five in midfield behind Suarez.
With two minutes to go the pressure all Red and the chances were falling our way. Suarez forced Hart in to a save and then with a minute to go it was so nearly the other net bulging. Dzeko broke well and after finding Silva who managed to round Reina he had the goal to aim at but by this time the Reds had three men all stood in a line - more like waiting for a bus who blocked the shot and moved up the pitch.
Andy Carroll managed to get himself booked for a poor tackle through the back of Kompany.
It was Carroll though who was so close to winning it for us in the final minute when he rose well to aim a header on target only for Hart to dive superbly well to push the ball clear and then to get up and save from Suarez.
It was stunning save that earned City a point which could so easily have been a Reds late win. It would for me have been a deserved win for us overall as we took the game to City well after weathering their early possession. Crucially we equalised very quickly after that and were inches away on more than one occasion to winning it.
MotM : Lucas - immense performance in the centre of midfield. He broke up so much of what City had to offer and allowed Adam to move forward more. A mention must also go to Jordan Henderson here as well who played really well in a more central position which suited him so much more than out right.
