Manchester City vs Liverpool live updates: Nico goal doubles home lead in Etihad thriller – The New York Times

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Manchester City lead title rivals Liverpool in an entertaining Premier League clash at the Etihad today.
City striker Erling Haaland saw an early penalty saved before heading home Matheus Nunes' cross.
Virgil van Dijk's header was harshly disallowed for offside before Nico scored via a deflection.
Was this the perfect football purists’ goal?
Just maybe — every Manchester City outfield player touched the ball for Erling Haaland’s opener.
Only goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma missed out on that incredible back-to-front passing move to set up the Norwegian.
That’s the half-time whistle and what a first 45 minutes it was.
One saved penalty, one disallowed goal and two goals that stood — stick with us as we digest that during the break.
45+7’ Manchester City 2-0 Liverpool
Make no mistake, City have been excellent and Liverpool have been very poor.
They have been too sloppy, Ibrahima Konate has been on the ball far too often and City have kept them penned in.
You sense this might require changes from Arne Slot after the break.
45+4’ Manchester City 2-0 Liverpool
Liverpool just cannot get out or clear their lines and the ball drops to Nico on the top of the box.
He hits a low strike, Van Dijk flicks an ankle at it in bizarre fashion and the ball takes just enough of a deflection to beat goalkeeper Mamardashvili, who is wrong-footed.
City are good value for their lead.
45+2’ Manchester City 2-0 Liverpool
City have a succession of corners, the pressure is mounting and before you know it the ball is in the back of the net!
Nico Gonzalez is the man with the second for City.
45’ Manchester City 1-0 Liverpool
That is a hefty chunk of time for someone to change the game before the break…
44’ Manchester City 1-0 Liverpool
Frankly, that is harsh on Liverpool.
Andy Robertson was offside but that was incidental to the header.
Arne Slot and his side can feel aggrieved.
41’ Manchester City 1-0 Liverpool
Slot deep in conversation with the fourth official about the decision to disallow that Van Dijk header.
No doubt that Robertson was in an offside position but he ducked out of the way and Donnarumma was never getting across to save that regardless.
39’ Manchester City 1-0 Liverpool
It’s not Liverpool’s day when it comes to VAR calls!
Andy Robertson is judged to be impeding goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma as Van Dijk headed in from that Liverpool corner and so the goal is chalked off.
It was some header from the Liverpool captain and for the quality and placement of it, it deserved to count, but the rules are the rules.
38’ Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool
And what a sensational header from the captain!
But the offside flag is up…
36’ Manchester City 1-0 Liverpool
… and that is to foul him, as Alexis Mac Allister just did.
He gets a yellow card for that one.
34’ Manchester City 1-0 Liverpool
This is all City now.
Liverpool have offered little all game going forward but the pressure is intensifying from Pep Guardiola's City since that opening goal from Haaland.
They are having so much joy in wide areas and Liverpool look pretty rattled.
32’ Manchester City 1-0 Liverpool
City deserve their lead but Slot will be furious with the manner of that goal.
Nunes had far too much time to deliver that cross. Liverpool were so slow to close him down and then Konate makes an absolute hash of dealing with it.
The big Frenchman has to nod that to safety but he appeared to touch it on to Haaland and the ball looped into the corner. So poor defensively.
30’ Manchester City 1-0 Liverpool
At twenty five minutes gone, Wirtz only had six touches and Ekitike had three. Liverpool just haven't kept the ball well enough so far and their most gifted attackers have been isolated.
29’ Manchester City 1-0 Liverpool
He will not mind missing that penalty quite as much now — on the back of that lovely passing move to get up the pitch, Haaland rises highest to meet a cross from Matheus Nunes and head in.
The cross took a slight deflection off Konate's head before reaching the Norwegian but Haaland will not mind.
That is Premier League goal number 99 for him.
28’ Manchester City 1-0 Liverpool
Who else?! City take the lead thanks to the head of their star man.
27’ Manchester City 0-0 Liverpool
Well that was a masterclass in getting out of a tight spot from City.
It all started with O’Reilly seeming penned in at the corner flag and under pressure from Salah. He wriggled free and City moved up the pitch with style, showing good footwork and snappy passing.
25’ Manchester City 0-0 Liverpool
The good news for City is that O’Reilly is up on his feet and back on the pitch.
Doku goes close with another chance, tipped around the post and into the side netting by Mamardashvili.
22’ Manchester City 0-0 Liverpool
And the teenager needs to be assessed by the medical staff after seemingly picking up a leg injury.
City will hope that the issue, which looks to be a calf strain, is one he can run off.
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