MAN CITY vs. LIVERPOOL

3-1
Monday 25th August 2014

Bank Holiday Monday produced the first high profile clash of the season as Champions Manchester City continued their solid title defense with a convincing win over struggling Liverpool. Despite starting slowly, two goals from in-form Stevan Jovetic and a cameo from Sergio Aguero were enough to give the Sky Blues a comfortable 3-1 win. A Pablo Zabaleta own goal in the dying minutes did nothing to revive Liverpool who ended the game with 10 players after Glen Johnson withdrew through injury. 

THE SYSTEMS

Both sides lined up very similarly to their opening weekend victories with City fielding two strikers again, omitting the link up man normally seen in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Liverpool again played an incredibly fluid 4-3-3 system, a staple of Brendan Rodgers' style.While, last week, the midfield trio of Gerrard, Lucas and Henderson took turns to make forward runs, this week it was almost always Henderson, as Gerrard and Joe Allen held their places in front of the back four. In possession Gerrard would often step between Lovren and Skrtel and move the ball out of defense, almost in the sweeper role. Meanwhile the front three of Sterling, Sturridge and Coutinho contiued their impressive link up and switched positions freely; when one moves wide the others take it upon themselves to make traditional strikers' runs off the shoulder of the last man, and Gerrard found Sterling in the box on the 9th minute. The 19 year old England man was unable turn and get a shot away. 

For the first half an hour the two sides largely cancelled each other out and both were attacking largely through the middle of the park. It looked as though it would be the first side to utilise their wide men that would make the break through. The battle was being played out in midfield and, while Yaya Toure and Fernando had the class and power to control the middle third, Liverpool were outnumbering City. Both teams misplaced a large number of passes and, for long spells, there was very little to report. That all changed in the 41st minute as City's wide players finally got into the game. Silva exploited gaping hole in the Liverpool defensive line and the ball fell kindly to Jovetic who capitalised on a lapse in concentration from Liverpool's debutante left-back, Moreno, to blast the ball under Mignolet in the Liverpool goal.

City made Liverpool wait in the cold for a long time before emerging for the second half and looked the far superior team from the 46th minute until the 90th. Manuel Pellegrini's team talk may well have been about working more as a unit in the remainder of the game, and City moved in swathes of blue throughout the half, seldom attacking with fewer than six men forward, and always having a minimum of eight behind the ball until they won it back. This meant that their missing 'No. 10' was no longer an obstacle as, even on fast paced counter attacks, every City player had an option. 

Sometimes, in football, though, tactics come second to quality. There was, technically speaking, very little Brendan Rodgers could have done differently and the perfect pass from Nasri to Silva for the first goal, as well as Navas' expertly weighted ball to Aguero (whose unerring finish came only 23 seconds after he came off the bench) proved that there is only so much a great system can do for a team lacking in, or coming up against, true class. Liverpool will improve as their back line grow more familiar with each other, and begin to listen to Dejan Lovren, who looks increasingly like a future club captain already. They will also be invigorated by the debuts of Adam Lallana and a certain Mr. Balotelli as they struggled for real creativity in the areas around the City penalty box. City's performance will worry their title contenders, though, as Fernando looks stronger with every minute and their core players have picked up this season's Premier League campaign where they left off in May. 

THE MOMENT

Having world class strikers, a great goalkeeper and exciting wingers is one thing, but nothing compares to a combined team hunger. City's midfield proved just how serious they are about retaining the title throughout the game: They worked consistently as a unit and their willingness to play for each other came through in their victory.

A great example of this team attitude came in the 63rd minute. With Moreno picking up possession on the left wing, around the half way line, and Lazar Markovic moving inside to receive a pass, City hounded the Spanish left back as if they were a goal down in stoppage time. Goalscorer Stevan Jovetic, Fernando and Jesus Navas boxed Moreno in and forced him to play the ball back to Lovren, meaning Liverpool had to build from the back again. 

UNSUNG HERO

The only City striker not to score in the game, Edin Dzeko had a key part to play in both of the first two goals. These examples are exactly what 'Unsung Analysis' is all about as, despite not chalking up any goals or assists, City's win may very well not have come about without the selfless contribution of the Bosnian striker. He withdrew with a leg injury in the second half and was replaced by Aguero who immediately got on the scoresheet, but it would not serve to ignore his role in the first two goals.

For the opener, he single handedly occupied Johnson, Skrtel and Lovren and left a massive hole in the Liverpool defense for Silva and Jovetic to exploit. For the second, his run across the face of goal to the near post dragged Glen Johnson into the middle of the box and, again, left acres of empty space behind him for Jovetic to stroll into and apply to finish. Johnson nearly cleared off the line, but, having followed Dzeko far too far, he was unable to keep the ball out. 

By Robbie Brown

NEXT TIME

Next weekend we will be covering what sounds like the debut of the most expensive player in British football history as Angel di Maria should be a Manchester Utd. player in time to take on Burnley on Saturday lunchtime. Does he have what it takes to transform the fortunes of the 20 times champions after their lacklustre start to the season? All will be revealed on Saturday.

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