Key events
50 min Semenyo twists Araujo inside out on the left side of the area and blasts a low cross into the six-yard box that just evades the stretching Ndiaye. The ball was cleared by Kerkez behind him, but had Ndiaye got a touch he would have scored.
49 min Gravenberch pings a wobbling long-range that is pushed away the diving Donnarumma. Then, moments later, Mac Allister shoots just wide from 25 yards. Three shots in 51 seconds for Liverpool, it says here.
48 min: Good save by Donnarumma! Liverpool open City up in transition. Barcola wins the ball high up the field and pokes it through to Koumas, who makes a fine run off Guehi and hits a rising drive from the edge of the area that is beaten away by Donnarumma.
Gianluigi Donnarumma is called into action at the start of the second half. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 12.40 EDT
47 min Gravenberch is booked for a late challenge on Anderson, who has probably been the player of the match so far.
Updated at 12.36 EDT
46 min Liverpool begin the second half. No changes on either side yet.
“Hello Rob.” Hello Kári Tulinius. “I realise that discussing tactics is on an ‘other than that Mrs Lincoln, how was the play’ level of missing the point, but it seems to me that Liverpool have started to take more risks in the final third. Specifically they’re trying passes and shots which, if they go astray, result in Manchester City goal kicks and throw-ins.
“This was a characteristic of Bournemouth, so Andoni Iraola seems to be getting his ideas across. Possibly it’s also because Bradley Barcola is inclined to play that way.”
Half-time reading x2
Updated at 12.33 EDT
Half time: Liverpool 0-0 Man City
In isolation, that was a pretty uneventful first half at Anfield. Liverpool started well, with Lewis Koumas and Victor Munoz impressive, but City responded with a kind of defiant composure and dictated the game as half-time approached.
No big chances for either side and only one minor flare up – a performative affair that didn’t lead to any yellow cards.
Updated at 12.22 EDT
45+1 min “There must be a lot of City players who don’t believe what Soriano and co have to say about ‘irrefutable evidence’,” says Sean Orlowicz. “And if they don’t believe them, how do they motivate themselves to compete in a league season that is rendered meaningless by impending punishments?”
We tell ourselves the stories we need to hear. I guess the impact on the players is more likely to be insidious than instant, but it’s still worth noting that there have no signs of depleted City morale today.
45+1 min At the other end, Wirtz pings one from 22 yards and Guehi blocks.
44 min Ndiaye runs at Kerkez and hits a cross-shot that deflects behind for a corner.
43 min City keep the ball to a soundtrack of boos. Semenyo slides an angled pass to the underlapping Anderson, whose early low cross is pawed away by Alisson.
Anderson has been increasingly dominant in midfield.
41 min “I had hoped, in the absence of goals and assists, that Wirtz would really tie the room together,” writes Niall Mullen. “Turns out he really disrupts the feng shui.”
He’s struggled, hasn’t he? Yet even in the context of a poor personal performance, there was a textbook return pass that almost led to a chance for Munoz. If he doesn’t succeed at Liverpool, somebody will get a bargain.
40 min Semenyo cuts inside from the left, only to blaze high and wide from distance. He’s had a decent half overall; Ndiaye has been quieter on the other wing.
38 min Anderson stops a Liverpool break with a bruising man-and-ball challenge on Wirtz. It runs to Cherki, who drives a cross-shot well wide.
The home fans didn’t love Anderson’s tackle but it looked fine. In fact, it brought to mind Steven Gerrard at his best.
Elliot Anderson goes in hard on Alexis Mac Allister. Photograph: Liverpool FC/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 12.15 EDT
35 min City’s best effort so far. Enzo Fernandez hits a dipping curler from 25 yards that is well held by Alisson, falling to his left.
33 min Wirtz’s corner leads to another, which is headed up in the air by the backpedalling Haaland. Mac Allister’s ambitious overhead kick goes wide.
Moments later, Munoz’s low shot from distance is saved comfortably by Donnarumma. For all City’s possession, Liverpool have carried the greater threat.
31 min Munoz plays a smooth give-and-go with Wirtz on the edge of the area before hitting a cross that is deflected into the side netting by O’Reilly. Munoz looks a player.
29 min City have had 62% possession in the last 10 minutes. Dias’s cross is miscontrolled at the far post by Fernandez, who would have been through on goal with a surer touch. It matters not: replays show Fernandez was offside.
28 min “I am at a loss to understand why Guehi – once he was judged to have committed a handball – wasn’t booked,” says Adam Roberts. “The handball was clearly intentional and he prevented Liverpool from mounting a serious attack on the goal.”
I’m afraid The Controversy Inn is fully booked for the night.
Updated at 12.00 EDT
27 min Cherki tries to knife an angled pass in behind Kerkez and towards Ndiaye. It’s too ambitious, even for him, and Kerkez is able to shepherd the ball behind for a goalkick.
26 min “Hi Rob,” mails Leo Addor. “Why do the City travelling fans have inflatable bananas in their section of the away supporters?”
Now there’s a story.
25 min On Sky Sports, Jamie Carragher says “this is by far the best Liverpool have played this season”. Munoz and Koumas have caught the eye, both with and without the ball.
Victor Munoz runs with the ball under pressure from Nico O’Reilly Photograph: Liverpool FC/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 12.01 EDT
23 min After all the hype – and I’m as guilty as anyone – it’s been a common-or-garden Premier League game so far.
22 min Kerkez’s cross is taken away from Donnarumma by Guehi. The ball lands kindly for City but that could easily have gone to an onrushing Liverpool player (not sure who it was).
21 min “I don’t know what I’m more excited about,” says Matt Dony. “The entertainment of constant needle as fan anger inevitably bleeds onto the pitch (scenes no one wants to see, but we all want to see), or Lewis Koumas potentially starring in Liverpool’s biggest match of the season thus far. Either way, should be happy days. Top scran so far!”
20 min Barcola wins a corner at the other end. Wirtz swings it deep, Donnarumma fumbles but then claims at the second attempt. Careful now.
Bradley Barcola of Liverpool is tackled by Matheus Nunes. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 11.54 EDT
19 min Cherki runs 60 yards and lends to the ball to Enzo. He tries to return it to Cherki, forcing Jacquet to make an important interception. The ball rolls behind for City’s first corner, of which nothing comes.
17 min The Liverpool threat has come through Munoz on the right, with Barcola very quiet on the other side. For now.
15 min Semenyo runs at Araujo on the left and slides an inviting ball that rolls across the face of goal. Where are thou Erling?
That was apparently City’s first touch in the final third; Liverpool have had 17.
14 min Gravenberch storms imperiously through midfield and finds Munoz, whose low cross is cut out at the near post. That was some run from Gravenberch, who started deep in his own half and beat two or three City players.
Ryan Gravenberch gallops away from a flailing Enzo Fernandez. Photograph: Liverpool FC/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 11.53 EDT
12 min: It’s kicking off! The lively Koumas turns smartly and is fouled by Dias, which inadvertently leads to a shoving match near the halfway line. Much ado about nothing. I think it was sparked by Mac Allister pushing a City player out of the way in an attempt to take a quick free-kick.
Oh, you hate to see it. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 11.48 EDT