The myth about league titles is that they are won, or clinched, in a game or an afternoon. There may be a moment of pure mathematical certainty, but a title is delivered inch by inch, minute by minute, step by gruelling step.
Liverpool probably thought they had it won here at half-time. Then they felt it slip away. And so they went out and won it all over again.
Next week, slate clean, they must go to Carrow Road and win it there, too. There are four more games to go this season; and in every one of them Liverpool must be prepared to win the league.
The longest 90 minutes of my life, captain Steven Gerrard called this. He was in tears on the Anfield pitch at the end, so it is pointless trying to play down the significance of the victory. Later, Gerrard tried nonchalance in his television interviews, but it was too late. Liverpool, on the back of 10 straight wins, can almost touch their first title of the modern era and if they succeed, it will be one of the greatest achievements in the history of the Premier League.
Hero: Philippe Coutinho scored the winner for Liverpool in a thrilling showdown with Manchester City
Emotional: Steven Gerrard looks to the sky with a tear in his eye as Liverpool celebrate their win
Passion: The Liverpool captain wipes a tear away after the final whistle at Anfield
War cry: Gerrard spoke passionately in a huddle with his team after a stunning victory
Cheerleader: Gerrard encourages the Kop to make some noise after Liverpool's thrilling victory
Above and beyond: Liverpool moved seven points clear of third-placed City with the victory
Scream: Goalscorer Martin Skrtel and Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez celebrate Liverpool's victory
MATCH FACTS
Liverpool: Mignolet 7, Johnson 7.5, Skrtel 8.5, Sakho 7, Flanagan 8, Henderson 7, Gerrard 9, Coutinho 9.5 (Moses 89), Sterling 9 (Lucas 90), Suarez 6, Sturridge 5.5 (Allen 66, 7).
Subs not used: Brad Jones, Toure, Agger, Aspas.
Goals: Sterling 6, Skrtel 26, Coutinho 78.
Booked: Suarez.
Sent off: Henderson (90).
Man City: Hart 7.5, Zabaleta 7, Kompany 5.5, Demichelis 7, Clichy 5, Toure 5 (Javi Garcia 19, 6), Fernandinho 7, Jesus Navas 4.5 (Milner 50, 7), Silva 6.5, Nasri 6.5, Dzeko 4.5 (Aguero 68, 6).
Subs not used: Lescott, Negredo, Kolarov, Pantilimon.
Goals: Silva 57, Johnson (og) 63.
Booked: Javi Garcia, Fernandinho, Zabaleta.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).
Attendance: 44,601.
Player ratings by DOMINIC KING at Anfield
These days, to rise from seventh last season to become champions is the equivalent of Nottingham Forest winning promotion, and then the championship a year later. To do so with a predominantly British starting XI is equally a feat from a bygone age. We had accepted that champions were foreign entities now. A title-winning team with an English spine? We thought its time had passed.
And then there is
Gerrard. Man of the match on Sunday, he would not have started this
season thinking of the title. At best, he might have hoped to cling on
and be a bit part player in some future triumph, as Bryan Robson was at
Manchester United.
Gerrard’s manager, Brendan Rodgers, has brought that schedule forward. There are very few fairytales in modern football, but Gerrard with the Premier League trophy in his hands would be one.
So
the emotion came pouring out of him after Liverpool reclaimed three
points, a win that means destiny is in their hands but no longer in
Manchester City’s.
Even if they win their two spare games now, they will
be a point adrift of Liverpool. Manuel Pellegrini, the City
manager, came up short again. He lost title deciders with Real Madrid,
against Barcelona, and lost home and away to Chelsea this season; now
this.
He may curse some rotten luck – an injury to Yaya Toure that saw
him limp off after 19 minutes, a training ground knock to Vincent
Kompany on Saturday that may have affected his play – but City got back
into the game here, and blew it.
Most troublingly they were 2-0 down after 27 minutes, so were always chasing, always vulnerable and always at risk from a team as quick on the counter-attack as Liverpool. With greater resilience they could have been in command of the match when misfortune struck after 78 minutes. Instead, a rare mistake was enough to lose the game, and perhaps the title too.
Jubilation: Liverpool made a flying start and led in the sixth minute through Raheem Sterling
Elusive: The Liverpool youngster twisted and turned before slotting the ball home past Joe Hart
Helpless: Hart was caught out of position and could only watch as Sterling's shot flew past him
Spectators: Hart and Vincent Kompany watch on as Sterling gives Liverpool the lead
Jubilation: Sterling jumps into the arms of Suarez after giving Liverpool the lead
Bundle: Liverpool players pile on to Sterling after the opening goal of the game at Anfield
No no Yaya: Toure couldn't continue after picking up an injury in the first half
Early bath: Toure was withdrawn to be replaced by Javi Garcia in the City midfield
Kompany
has been a defensive rock for City for several seasons, but suffered a
collision in training and was considered a risk even when named in the
starting line-up. Did this play a part in his horrid sliced clearance
after Javi Garcia had headed a Liverpool throw-in backwards?
If so, the ramifications were brutal. The ball fell to Philippe Coutinho who struck it past Joe Hart, first time, from 18 yards. City did not reply; 17 minutes later, including a tense period of injury time with a red card for Jordan Henderson, Liverpool players were celebrating in a tight little huddle in the middle. The biggest danger from here is that beating City feels like journey’s end; but Rodgers has a whole week to address the dangers of complacency.
For a time it seemed as if they would walk it. For the majority of the first-half Liverpool were simply on a different plane with Raheem Sterling, in particular, in exceptional form. In front of England manager Roy Hodgson, he took the game to City with the abandon of youth. That attitude might work in a World Cup, too.
Just
six minutes had elapsed when Luis Suarez held the ball up well against
Martin Demichelis, shrugged off Gael Clichy, who ended in a heap on the
ground, and struck a through pass to Sterling in the City penalty area.
He went left at first, didn’t fancy the view, so took a turn right, sending City’s back line the wrong way before sizing up what was now an open goal, and finishing the job.
Sterling
set up Daniel Sturridge with a good chance nine minutes later, but he
missed, then from a 26th minute corner, Gerrard was inexplicably
unmarked and forced a brilliant save from Joe Hart. It made no
difference.
Another corner resulted and, from it, Liverpool scored. Gerrard was the taker, Martin Skrtel first to meet it having got away from Kompany at the near post. Liverpool were running riot.
LIVERPOOL REMAINING GAMES
20 April - Norwich (A)
27 April - Chelsea (H)
5 May - Crystal Palace (A)
11 May - Newcastle (H)
MAN CITY REMAINING GAMES
16 April - Sunderland (H)
21 April - West Brom (H)
27 April - Crystal Palace (A)
3 May - Everton (A)
7 May - Aston Villa (H)
11 May - West Ham (H)
Rising high: Skrtel headed in from a corner to double Liverpool's advantage in the first half
On target: Skrtel got in front of Kompany at the near post and flicked his headed into the back of the net
Bullet: The Slovakian's header was past Hart and into the back of the net before he could move
Don't look back in anger: Hart watches as Skrtel turns away to celebrate
Prolific: The goal was yet another from a set piece for Liverpool this season
Dreamland: The Liverpool defender celebrates his goal with captain Steven Gerrard
Glum: Manchester City players look on after falling 2-0 behind in the first half
Instruction: Brendan Rodgers and Manuel Pellegrini in the technical area
Flashpoint: Mamadou Sakho was fortunate not to concede a penalty after bringing down Edin Dzeko
Fightback: David Silva brought Manchester City back into the game in the 57th minute
Hope: Silva's smart finish brought City back to within a goal with just under an hour played
Handbags: Suarez is confronted by Silva as Liverpool prepare to kick-off
Yet
somehow from there, City finished the first half stronger. In a furious
spell, David Silva had a header deflect just wide, Fernandinho forced a
fine save from Simon Mignolet and Sterling cleared off the line from Kompany.
Five minutes into the second half, Pellegrini introduced James Milner for Jesus Navas – he should have used Milner instead of Garcia when Toure was injured – and he changed the match.
In
the 57th minute, Milner played a superb one-two with Fernandinho and
cut a cross back for Silva, who left Mignolet with no chance. Dzeko then
fell inches short of turning in a Silva cross, before City levelled.
Milner again fed Samir Nasri whose cross pinballed off Glen Johnson plus
Mignolet before creeping in at the near post. At this point, all the
momentum was with City.
Rodgers had promised the emotional fillip of the fans as 12th man – particularly with this fixture nearest to the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy – but, briefly, the locals fell silent. The collapse was so sudden, so unexpected. Momentarily, they forgot their supporting role.
All square: Silva's deflected cross moments later brought City level at 2-2
Agonising: Silva's cross got a touch off Glen Johnson before beating Simon Mignolet at his near post
Despair: Mignolet watches on as Silva's cross finds a way past him into the back of the net
Decisive: Coutinho pounced on an error from Kompany to fire Liverpool back in front
Strike: The Brazilian latched on to a loose clearance and fired past Hart into the bottom corner
Stretch too far: Hart couldn't prevent Coutinho's shot from finding the bottom corner in the 78th minute
Jubilation: Coutinho is mobbed by Gerrard after his clinical finish in the 78th minute
Gutted: Kompany reacts after his mistake gifted Coutinho a goal
Roar: Liverpool manager Rodgers celebrates Coutinho's goal that sent Anfield into raptures
Gone: Jordan Henderson is sent off in injury time after a rash challenge on Samir Nasri
Loss: The England midfielder will miss three of Liverpool's final four games this season
Yet
champions are forged in their reaction to such moments. Ahead again,
Anfield was raucous and Liverpool’s players like dervishes defending
that lead.
Only Henderson took it too far – late, despairing, and studs
up in his determination to win the ball from Nasri in injury time, he
was shown a straight red card. The tackle was mistimed not malicious,
yet left referee Mark Clattenburg no option.
Henderson will next play for Liverpool on the final day of the season against Newcastle United, by which time the title may be won, lost, or thrillingly in the balance.
Won
is most likely, on this evidence. Yes, it took a slice of luck for
Liverpool to triumph on Sunday, but the title will not turn on Kompany’s
misfortune alone.
There will be others twists between now and the end of the season, just as random, just as significant. Yet Liverpool look ready for whatever the Premier League throws at them; including, it would appear, the trophy on May 11.
Concern: Kompany came out to warm up on his own after concerns about his fitness
Greetings: Manchester City boss Pellegrini shakes hands with Liverpool manager Rodgers
Happy man: Liverpool owner John Henry in the stands for the big game at Anfield
Tribute: The Kop displayed a mosaic in memory of Hillsborough during the minute silence
Remembered: Both teams participate in a minute silence before the game at Anfield
Together: The Liverpool team line up for the minute silence at Anfield
Historic: The Kop display their flags and banners ahead of kick-off at Anfield
Touching: The Hillsborough memorial outside Anfield is covered in flowers and scarves
Tribute: A fan pays his respects to the victims of the Hillsborough disaster 25 years ago
On the way: The Liverpool team bus makes its way to Anfield ahead of the game
Reception: Liverpool fans greet the arrival of their team at Anfield
Ovation: Flares were set off by fans who lined the streets to greet Liverpool's arrival
| Pos. | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 34 | 24 | 5 | 5 | 51 | 77 |
| 2 | Chelsea | 34 | 23 | 6 | 5 | 42 | 75 |
| 3 | Manchester City | 32 | 22 | 4 | 6 | 54 | 70 |
| 4 | Everton | 33 | 19 | 9 | 5 | 22 | 66 |
| 5 | Arsenal | 33 | 19 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 64 |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur | 34 | 18 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 60 |
| 7 | Manchester United | 33 | 17 | 6 | 10 | 18 | 57 |
| 8 | Southampton | 34 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 5 | 48 |
| 9 | Newcastle United | 34 | 14 | 4 | 16 | -14 | 46 |
| 10 | Stoke City | 34 | 11 | 10 | 13 | -10 | 43 |
| 11 | West Ham United | 33 | 10 | 7 | 16 | -7 | 37 |
| 12 | Crystal Palace | 33 | 11 | 4 | 18 | -15 | 37 |
| 13 | Hull City | 33 | 10 | 6 | 17 | -6 | 36 |
| 14 | Aston Villa | 33 | 9 | 7 | 17 | -14 | 34 |
| 15 | Swansea City | 34 | 8 | 9 | 17 | -5 | 33 |
| 16 | West Bromwich Albion | 33 | 6 | 15 | 12 | -11 | 33 |
| 17 | Norwich City | 34 | 8 | 8 | 18 | -27 | 32 |
| 18 | Fulham | 34 | 9 | 3 | 22 | -40 | 30 |
| 19 | Cardiff City | 34 | 7 | 8 | 19 | -34 | 29 |
| 20 | Sunderland | 32 | 6 | 7 | 19 | -25 | 25 |
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