For reasons better known to them, Sky chose to compare Gabriel Jesus’ equalizer here to Dennis Bergkamp’s goal for Arsenal at Newcastle in 2002.
Jesus’ control, rotation, and termination were first-rate in the union. Bergkamp’s target still looks as if it came from another galaxy.
But in terms of importance, Jesus’ goal is up front, as any Manchester City player has scored for that long.
Gabriel Jesus had a lot to shout about after scoring an amazing goal to screw up Liverpool
Broadcasters compared this effort to Dennis Bergkamp’s famous hit in the Premier League in 2002
It doesn’t matter that City were unable to end the regional dominance of the second half with a second goal. It doesn’t matter that Kevin De Bruyne missed a penalty.
Jesus ensured that City got a point from this match and this keeps them in touch with the only opponent they will have to finish the league above if they want to win the Premier League this season.
The early impressions made by Aston Villa, Everton, Southampton, Tottenham and now Leicester were equally welcome and surprising.
We’ve wanted a more competitive division for a while. However, these two remain the best from a distance and it would be a surprise if the good didn’t come out in the end.
So, yes, Jesus’ goal during the first half which Liverpool had dominated up until that point was very significant indeed. Beautifully captured too.
The Manchester City striker’s equality was great but Bergkamp is still in a different category
After 103 appearances in the Premier League, Jesus has a lot to do to rival the likes of Bergkamp
The Brazilian didn’t have space when De Bruyne played the ball to him, but he made some with a touch of his heel that was too much for goalkeeper Trent Alexander-Arnold.
At that point – 31 minutes later – it felt as if City were going to need something special, too. Liverpool were so sharp, so smart and so lively for Pep Guardiola’s side in the first third of the match.
City, in fact, looked a little intimidated by the heroes and an unusual and brave formation that included both Diogo Jota and Jesus compatriot Roberto Firmino.
Jesus has played 103 Premier League games in his career with City, yet nearly every game he starts still feels like a performance audition.
He was bought primarily as a replacement for Sergio Aguero four years ago, and the fact that he is still in the shadow of the great Argentine says a lot about his modest pace in adapting to the English game but much more to Aguero’s astonishingly high standards over the years.
Four years after being appointed to replace Sergio Aguero, the 23-year-old has become a substitute
So far, with 42 goals behind in the league, Jesus feels like a substitute. He played here because Aguero is injured.
It would be a big surprise if City don’t buy another midfield next summer so Jesus will continue to take on the challenge.
In the rains of East Manchester, he led a return from a City that only grew in stature the longer the match dragged on.
Liverpool have problems with their attacking point themselves. Firmino has been kept here, and rightfully so.
He is fundamental to the way Liverpool play. But the 29-year-old lacks goals. He has scored only once in the Premier League this season and only three times in his last 23 goals.
Roberto Firmino (right) is a key player in Liverpool, although he has not been in great shape
Jurgen Klopp’s defense of him as Jota pushed his own case for inclusion with a glut of goals since signing from Wolverhampton in the summer has been justified and impressive.
Loyalty is good. However, this 4-2-4 method is not a way Klopp can play every week, and Firmino is starting to stand on somewhat shaky ground.
On this occasion, Firmino could have scored in the first minute had he tried to hit the ball to City goalkeeper Ederson after breaking through. He tried to dodge around him but he couldn’t.
That moment set the tone for a while. City seemed to lack the energy to match their opponents, and if Liverpool had been a little gentle in the final third, they might have gone ahead with more than one penalty kick for Mohamed Salah.
Certainly, a victory for them would have been colossal. They could have been at the top of the table after eight games at the start of the season they didn’t see well.
A win would have taken City to the top of the table even without main striker Aguero
As it stands, Liverpool have been required to defend for most of the past hour and have done so very comfortably. They are getting less ambitious as the game goes on.
Both teams seemed happier in defense than they had been for some time. City’s pairing of Aymeric Laporte and Robin Dias has already grown significantly in stature and poise since the season began, and the components of the partnership appear to be in place. For the city, it’s too late.
Tired legs took a heavy toll in the second half of the match, which was not as attractive as the first. We can expect international withdrawals in the next few days as the coaches try hard to restore some recovery to players who are already toiling under the weight of an intense fixture schedule.
The frantic nature of this season will play in favor of the other teams. We’ll see some weird results but maybe only for a while.
Team depth will be key as the campaign ends and these two clubs have the deepest in the ground. There was nothing to be seen here to suggest it would not be Liverpool-City One-Two in May. Just not necessarily in that order.
Indeed, Liverpool and City seem to be the only two teams capable of winning the Premier League
