Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool: 'Title Rivals Deliver Classic That Lives Up To Hype'

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp emerged from the tunnel 20 minutes after the final whistle before strolling over to his adoring followers to doff his cap with a flourish and take a bow.

Thousands of visiting fans were waiting to be released from Etihad Stadium, the scene of a genuine Premier League classic between Manchester City and Liverpool that ended 2-2, with nothing separating the country's two finest sides.

It was almost the equivalent of a Klopp curtain call and a few yards away Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola deserved a standing ovation of his own for his part in producing a game that was that rare event, something that actually lived up to every word of hype.

Indeed, both managers and every one of the players deserved to take a bow after putting on a five-star show that will get, and fully deserves, glowing reviews.

So often, after a build-up such as the one this match received, the actual 90 minutes turn into a dose of real life anti-climax, caution cloaking managers and players weighed down by the size of the stakes on offer.

Not here, even with the stakes as high as they get in the Premier League context.

In reality this was never going to be a title decider. If Manchester City won their lead would only have been four points with seven games remaining. Liverpool, had they been victorious, would have been two points ahead.

Instead, City are just one point clear and both managers - and indeed both sets of fans - seemed happy enough with that outcome.

It was almost, in boxing parlance, a draw by unanimous verdict as the top flight's two heavyweights put on a show that captivated from first minute to last, nothing separating them when referee Anthony Taylor sounded the final whistle.

- bbc.com