EPL: Manchester City vs. Liverpool

This is one of those matches where the full time score line is a little misleading. Sure, City took care of business today, and fairly comfortably in the end, but Liverpool played their guts out. It really was just a couple of miscues in the end that cost the Reds at least a point.

Both teams started somewhat hesitantly, seemingly content to feel each other out in the opening minutes. It was Liverpool who created the first big chance on 8 minutes. Jordan Henderson played a beautiful ball toward Stewart Downing, who met it just at the top of the area. He worked in against Joe Hart but the final shot was very uninventive and easily saved by the City 'keeper.

It didn't take long for City to make Liverpool pay for the missed chance either. In the 10th minute, Liverpool gave up the ball in their own half and it fell to Sergio Aguero. The Argentinian striker sent a shot in on goal that looked to be an easy save for Pepe Reina. However, Reina dove over top of the ball and it squirted into the net to make 1-0 to City.

After the Aguero goal the Reds responded and took control of the match. However, they really failed to create a lot of quality chances. Charlie Adam had a free kick saved on 24 minutes, and in the 29th Jordan Henderson wasted a great free kick chance by putting a timid strike right into the wall. Liverpool was just junk on set pieces all night.

In the 33rd minute, City got their second goal to really put the pressure on Liverpool. Vincent Kompany managed a header on goal on a corner, and Reina parried it over the bar for another corner. On the ensuing set piece, Yaya Toure rose totally unmarked and headed the ball into the net to make it 2-0 City at the half.

The weather was horrendous in Manchester all night and really started to take it's toll in the second half as the match got extremely sloppy. The rain was coming down in cold, windy, sheets. Gareth Barry was sent off in the 73rd minute for his second yeelow, but any optimism Liverpool may have had was short lived. In the 74th minute Martin Skrtel brought down Toure in the box, barely, and City was awarded a PK. James Milner put the ball into the postage stamp corner of the goal giving Pepe Reina no chance and handing City the three points by virtue of a 3-0 win.


ANDY CARROLL IS NOT HAPPY--Getty Images