Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool: Liverpool's 4-2-4, Diogo Jota's impact and what comes next for both
Graham Ruthven analyses Manchester City's draw with Liverpool
Graham Ruthven analyses Manchester City's draw with Liverpool

Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool: Liverpool's 4-2-4, Diogo Jota's impact and what comes next for both

By Graham Ruthven
Football
Mon November 09, 2020 · 5y ago

No title races will be decided by what happened at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Of course, that was always likely to be the case, even if one of Manchester City or Liverpool had claimed all three points.

The unique circumstances of 2020 have added a layer of volatility to this season, making predictions at this early stage almost impossible.

And yet a victory for either side would have set the tone for the rest of the campaign. A City win in particular would have anointed Pep Guardiola’s side primary challengers to Liverpool’s Premier League dominance. A Liverpool win would have highlighted the gulf that still exists between the two rivals.

There was still enough in what unfolded for Jurgen Klopp to be the happier of the two managers, though. Virgil van Dijk’s injury has forced the German to think a little differently in a number of positions and it’s this adaptation that has allowed Liverpool to maintain their momentum - this was the first game the Reds haven’t won since their Dutch centre back was sidelined.

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