MANCHESTER CITY 4 – 0 LIVERPOOL
Manchester City – Haaland 39’ (PEN), 45+2’, 57’, Semenyo 50’
Pre-Match
Liverpool returns to action on an early Saturday kick-off. We’re not back to the Premier League yet, but instead the Reds head to the Etihad Stadium to take on Manchester City in the FA Cup quarterfinal. In an interesting twist of fate, former Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders will be leading City with the other Pep watching from the stands for this one. That is, frankly, way too many Peps, but what do I know?
First Half
These
early kick-offs always feel like a drag, so hopefully this will be the exception. Liverpool actually start off pretty bright. They don’t look like they’re playing on the defensive despite being the away team. After about 15 minutes, Mohamed Salah even has a good chance when he chases down Mamardashvili’s long ball. However, one of the defenders gets a crucial touch and the shot gets sent wide for a corner.
Kerkez puts in some clutch defending to against Cherki. The Manchester City fans want a penalty for it, but Michael Oliver had a close look and waves it off.
Gravenberch receives the first booking of the game against Doku.
Ekitike has another good chance inside the area. He does well to create it for himself, but the finish isn’t good enough and it comes to nothing.
Virgil van Dijk makes a big mistake, pulling down O’Reilly for a clear penalty. This time no one can dispute it. Haaland comes up and makes good, putting City had in the last few minutes of the half. The Reds had looked pretty good up until this point, though obviously hadn’t scored. It’s a shame that they’ll likely have to go into halftime behind.
Well. Now they definitely will, because in extra time, Haaland strikes again. It starts from a Liverpool throw-in badly given away and ends with Haaland heading in a cross straight past Mamardashvili.
I really hate early kick-offs.
Second Half
Do you ever look at your life and realize that you could be doing literally anything else at this exact moment instead of what you’re doing?
Anyway. Don’t know where that thought came from. Semenyo gets one past the Liverpool keeper a few minutes after the restart.
Then Haaland scores a hat trick. It’s 4-0 and we’re not even 60 minutes into this game. I remember back fondly to half an hour ago when I thought Liverpool were doing pretty well. It’s just trying to limit the fallout now for Liverpool in these final thirty minutes of the game. At this point, a good outcome would be only getting crushed, and not losing anyone to a red card or injury.
Jeremie Frimpong comes on for Joe Gomez at 62 minutes.
Liverpool receive a penalty, won by Ekitike. I don’t think there was anyone in that stadium or watching at home that thought it was going in. And sure enough, usually surefooted Salah steps up and has his effort saved. Cannot imagine a world where that goal went in, not after the second half they’ve been having.
Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo, and Rio Ngumoha are then out in exchange for Ryan Gravenberch, Hugo Ekitike, and Florian Wirtz.
The final sub of the day is Salah off for Federico Chiesa.
Final Thoughts
Well, that was a game that happened, and I watched it. Love that for me. Love that for all of us.
