EPL: Riyad Mahrez makes penalty blunder in Liverpool, Man City stalemate

Riyad Mahrez missed a penalty as Manchester City and Liverpool played out a goalless draw in a top of the table clash at Anfield on Sunday.

City has not won a league game at Anfield in the last 15 years but they came close to breaking the hoodoo this time when Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk brought down substitute Leroy Sane in the 84^th minute inside the penalty box.

Algeria’s Mahrez stood up but blazed his shot over the bar as the Reds survived a scare to extend their unbeaten streak to eight matches. Man City though leapfrogged into the top position on goal difference having scored more than both Chelsea and Liverpool. All the three teams are currently unbeaten in the league and have so far scored 20 points.

The visitors would, however, complain that they were denied two penalty claims when Dejan Lovren first bundled over Sergio Aguero in the first half and Van Dijk’s handling the ball inside the box. City eventually got one late into the game from which Mahrez failed to score.

Apart from the squandered penalty, Mahrez was also presented with a glorious opportunity to secure all three points. A clever one-two among Mendy and Hazard, sent Mahrez free on goal. But the latter’s shot was easily collected by Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson.

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The game though was a cagey affair with both sides failing to live up to their billings. The otherwise lethal front three of the Reds failed to create any clear-cut chances.

“It is a very intense, an unbelievable challenge to face Manchester City always – I’ve said that before – and as the last game of an intense period, it makes the challenge even bigger, so I am really happy with what the boys did.

“We’ve played City now that often and they’re just outstanding,” Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp was quoted as saying by BBC,

Meanwhile, Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola said, “We’ve had 40 or 50 years of not winning here and often we’ve lost. It’s a good result – I’m so satisfied with what we have done.

“As a team, you know Liverpool will punish our mistakes, and at the back, we controlled it very well. So, it would be better to win at Anfield, but we don’t lose, last season we lost here, this season we draw, maybe next season we win, we will see.”