"Itβs one that got away" - Alex McLeish explains why Liverpool will be happy with the draw against Manchester City
Former Rangers boss Alex McLeish feels Liverpool will be happy with their draw with Manchester City at the Etihad in the Premier League last week.
The two teams played out a scintillating 2-2 draw at City's home on Sunday. It kept the Cityzens at the top of the table, one point ahead of the Reds.
With seven league games remaining to play, Jurgen Klopp will hope that City drop points elsewhere before the end of the season.
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It finishes Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool at the Etihad. π€ https://t.co/mO82sh94YU
Although a win over City would have been the perfect result, McLeish insists the Reds will still be content with the draw.
Speaking exclusively to Football Editor's deputy editor Russell Edge, the former Scotland manager said:
βLiverpool will actually be going away from The Etihad feeling a lot more confident about themselves. I think they will actually be the happier team coming away from that game. They will know they just need to tighten up a little bit. They wonβt meet too many teams like City between now and the end of the season."
Riyad Mahrez, who came on as a second half substitute for City, had a golden chance to win the game in the dying seconds. However, his effort was deflected after a crucial intervention from Joel Matip.
McLeish feels that the miss could come back to haunt the Algerian if City lose the title from here on.
βLiverpool have a brilliant run in. Iβm sure Mahrez had a sleepless night after his miss. Itβs one that got away for Man City.β
The two fierce rivals will meet again this weekend in the semifinals of the FA Cup. Chelsea will play Crystal Palace in the other semifinal.
Liverpool and City to fight till the end of the season?
The Reds' second-half resurgence has turned a seemingly one-horse race into another exciting title race in the Premier League this season. It is symbolic of the rivalry that has seen the two sides race ahead of the rest of the pack over the last few years.
They had a close encounter in the 2018-19 season as well, where the two sides won their last 10 games on the bounce with City leading Liverpool by a solitary point. It could go down the same way yet again this season.
Remaining fixtures...
Liverpool:
β’ Man United (H)
β’ Everton (H)
β’ Newcastle (A)
β’ Spurs (H)
β’ Aston Villa (A)
β’ Southampton (A)
β’ Wolves (H)
Man City:
β’ Brighton (H)
β’ Watford (H)
β’ Leeds (A)
β’ Newcastle (H)
β’ West Ham (A)
β’ Wolves (A)
β’ Aston Villa (H)
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Jurgen Klopp's team suffered a heartbreak in the 2018-19 season, where they came second despite collecting 97 points to City's 98. They will be hoping for better luck this time around.
However, the fixtures do favor City as Pep Guardiola's men only have to play West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers among the top 10 sides in the remaining fixtures.
Liverpool, on the other hand, still have to face Manchester United, local rivals Everton, Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
Both City and Liverpool are also in line to face each other in the Champions League final with Guardiola's men facing Real Madrid and Klopp's team taking on Villareal in the semifinals.