• Date: Sun 30 December 2007
  • Venue: City of Manchester Stadium
  • Ref: Rennie, U
  • Attendance: 47,321

Manchester City vs Liverpool

Team Lineups

Manchester City

Joe Hart
Nedum Onuoha
Michael Ball
Richard Dunne
Micah Richards
Vedran Corluka
Dietmar Hamann
Martin Petrov
Blumer Elano (Rolando Bianchi, 70)
Stephen Ireland (Gelson Fernandes, 61)
Darius Vassell (Deiberson Geovanni, 74)

Liverpool

Jose Manuel Reina
Alvaro Arbeloa
Steve Finnan
Fabio Aurelio
Jamie Carragher
Steven Gerrard
Javier Mascherano
Harry Kewell (Ryan Babel, 74)
Yossi Benayoun
Dirk Kuyt
Fernando Torres


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

0-0 at Eastlands in a dour game. Both sides resorted to long range efforts in game of defensive brilliance.

87

Another brilliant block by Dunne diverts Benayoun's goal-bound effort after Gerrard set up the Israeli midfielder.

84
Yellow Card
 

Torres goes into the book for a foul on Richards

83

This has been painful at times for the biggest crowd at City's Eastlands Stadium. Every time an attack looks like it's about reap some reward, either defence steps in to clear the danger.

80

Torres and Dunne both go down in a heap in the City box. Liverpool fans think it's a penalty but referee Rennie waves play on.

76

Into the last 15 minutes now and it's looking like a point-a-piece for these two. It hasn't been pretty but both sides will be happy with a draw.

74
Substitution
 

City also make a change with Geovanni coming on for Vassell.

74
Substitution
 

Kewell comes off for Babel.

71

Kewell heads well wide from Gerrard's corner kick.

70

Torres is played in by Benayoun but once again, Dunne gets back to clear for a corner.

68
Substitution
 

Elano makes way for Bianchi.

67

City are beginning to respond with some crisp passing of their own. But just as one move gathers momentum, Corluka overhits his pass.

64

Benayoun plays in Gerrard on the edge of the box but his first time shot goes high and wide of the City goal.

61
Substitution
 

Fernandes takes to the field for City in place of Ireland.

60

Benayoun tries his luck from 25 yards but Hart does well to tip over.

58

City fans scream for a penalty after Vassell swings over a cross but ref Rennie says it hit Carragher's chest.

56

Vassell does well to hold off Carragher but as the City striker looks to run on goal Mascherano gets back to cover.

53

Liverpool have picked up the tempo but the game continues to be a battle of midfield and defence.

50

Gerrard tries his luck with a 30-yard free-kick but his effort whistles past the post.

48

Good move by Liverpool as Aurelio gets round Onuoha and his pass is dummied by Kuyt but, as it opens up for Torres, he shoots weakly at Hart and the former Shrewsbury Town keeper saves easily.

46

The sides come out for the second half and both will be looking to find away through some solid defending. You get the feeling one goal might settle this game.

Half time
 

Both defences are on top as the sides go in all square at the break.

43

A good passing move sets up Benayoun on the edge of the City box but the midfielder loses his footing as he unleashes his shot and the ball flies wide of Hart's goal.

40

Gerrard is playing in a deeper roll to let Benayoun go forward. Perhaps the England man needs to stride out of defence more to help break the deadlock for the visitors.

38

Benayoun does brilliantly to twist and turn into the Liverpool box but Ball is there to clear the danger.

35

The game's getting spread now and it's City turn to go close. Vassell chests the ball into the path of Elano but the midfielder slips at the vital moment as he closes in on goal and Carragher is able to clear.

32

Good save by Hart as he tips over Aurelio's speculative 35-yard drive. Corner to Liverpool.

30

A couple of deflections almost see Liverpool snatch the lead. First Gerrard's pass finds Kewell after hitting Onuoha. Then Kuyt's shot hits Richards before dropping just wide of the post.

28

It's a carbon copy block by Carragher as Ireland sets up Elano to finish off a flowing City move but the Liverpool defender does brilliantly to block his shot.

26

Superb defending by Richards as he flings himself to block Kuyt's shot on the edge of the City box. It was a lovely knock down by Torres.

24

Corluka tries a backheel - and nearly sets Liverpool on the attack. Fortunately Petrov gets back for City.

22

At the halfway point of the first period, Liverpool are certainly having most of the ball but City are standing firm - for now.

18

A typical cross-field pass by Gerrard finds Benayoun but the Israeli play-maker over-complicates the move and loses possession.

15

Gerrard does well to clear a dangerous outswinging Petrov corner.

13

Benayoun plays a lovely throughball between Dunne and Richards but, as Torres sets off for goal, Dunne does well to clear the danger.

11

Great chance for City as Dunne heads wastefully wide from a free header in the centre of the Liverpool six-yard box.

10

Vassell does well to flick the ball on for the over-lapping Stephen Ireland, but the linesman flags for offside. It looked a close call.

8

What a save by Reina! The Liverpool keeper does superbly to tip Vassell's goal-bound header around the post.

7

Richard Dunne cuts out Yossi Benayoun's throughball and plays it back to Joe Hart but, under no pressure, the young City keeper just lashes it out of play.

4

Steve Finnan lumps the ball high over the City back line and Richards appears to pull down Fernando Torres as the striker skips away from him. Both players stay down but referee Rennie doesn't see it as a booking for the City defender.

1
Kickoff
 

The game gets underway and a sloppy piece of defending by Micah Richards drifts harmelssly out of play. If one of the Liverpool stirkers had taken a gamble they might have been in on goal.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Meanwhile, Liverpool will be hoping to make it seven wins away from Anfield this season.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Manchester City will look to get back to winning ways at home after a 2-2 draw with Blackburn last time out. That result meant City lost their 100 per cent home record in the league.