Manchester City welcomed their current biggest rivals, Liverpool, to the Etihad in the round of 16 of the Carabao League Cup.
After the 40th day of the break, due to the World Cup in Qatar, football returned to the island. Although the championship hasn’t started yet, the Carabao Cup is well underway.
Pep Guardiola decided to start with Erling Haaland, unquestionably the best goalscorer not only on the island but much further afield.Already after the 10th minute, he continued where he left off before the break, scoring a goal. After a perfect assist from Belgian international Kevin de Bruyne, Haaland brilliantly crossed in front of the hapless goalkeeper Gomez and scored a very effective goal for a 1-0 lead.
However, the leadership of Pep Guardiola’s team did not last long. Liverpool equalized in the 20th minute. The goal was preceded by a great action: Joel Matip brilliantly found Milner in the penalty area of the home team, and the experienced former England representative sent a pass to a lonely Carvalho, who checked the helpless Ortega from 10 meters.
There were many opportunities in front of Kelleher’s goal, but he saved his net with a superb intervention when Nathan Ake sent a header unhindered from about seven meters. Liverpool responded in the 42nd minute, when Gomez brilliantly found Darwin Nunez, who now traditionally misses a 100% chance for a complete turnaround. Just five minutes later, in deep stoppage time, the Uruguayan representative missed again from a very good position, and the score remained 1:1 at halftime.
The rest pleased both of them, who started the second half in a spectacular way. As early as the 47th minute, the defender of “Citizens,” Rodri, found Riad Mahrez, who had no difficulty scoring for the lead; the scoreboard read 2:1.
As soon as they started from the center, the Liverpool players reached the equalizer. Darwin Nunez is obviously a better assistant than goal scorer; he sent a perfect pass for Mohamed Salah, who inexorably scored for 2:2.
A period of slightly slower rhythm followed, which suited City better, who took the lead for the third time in the 58th minute. Again, Kevin de Bruyne sent a pass “on the eyelash” to the Dutch international Nathan Ake, who corrected himself for the mistake from the first half and checked Kelleher for 3:2.
This was followed by attacks by Jurgen Klopp’s team, which played much better, and they almost reached a new tie in the 72nd minute. Gomez, in the style of the best assistants, launched from his own half, again against Darwin Nunez, 1 on 1.
The Uruguayan dragged the ball all the way to the middle of the penalty area and then fired at the ball diagonally, but for the umpteenth time he was inaccurate, and the score was 3:2.
By the end of the game, Liverpool tried to equalize, but there were no more serious opportunities before Ortega’s goal, so Manchester City won 3:2 and qualified for the quarterfinals of the Carabao League Cup. By the way, this was Manchester City’s first victory over Liverpool in 2022.
