Turning Points of the Game-Liverpool vs Manchester City

18 Yard Box looks at instances that turned the game that took place in the weekend.

Yet another week in the Barclays Premier League and a big match was in store where defending  champions Manchester City travelled to the Merseyside to a face a distraught and unorganized Liverpool side. Both sides came into the game with different emotions- On one hand, Manchester City were raring to go after yet another sensational comeback against the Saints last week, while on the other hand Liverpool were looking to bounce back from the disappointing 3-0 loss to the Baggies.

18 Yard Box’s Pranav Byatnal analyses the moments where the match turned on its head

Not in the ZONE                    

Liverpool got their righteous reward in the 34^th minute when Martin Skrtel powered a Gerrard corner into the net. The corner was a result of a delightful curling ball by Gerrard which Kompany clumsily managed to put over the bar. Mancini adopted a 3-4-1-2 system in this game with his wing-backs trying to stop Liverpool’s full-backs from getting far too ahead. This stretched his 3 man defense with Kolo Toure running up and down with Sterling on the right and Zabaleta keeping tabs of Borini on the left. City's this zonal marking lead to their downfall as during a corner kick by Gerrard the City defenders stayed in their zones making a clear way for Skrtel to score a thumping header past Hart. 

City's zonal marking 

Tantalizing Tevez

Tevez was creating problems for the opposition defense on the right side, thereby stopping Johnson's runs down the wings. It was Tevez yet again in the 63^rd when he eased past teenager Sterling and whipped one into the box. Liverpool’s poor marking was exposed when Yaya Toure dropped in comfortably between Martin Kelly and Coates. However, a defensive blunder was what got them a goal. Kelly just couldn’t manage the ball and gave it to Yaya, who happily put the ball into the net to make it 1-1.

All eyes towards the ball

Its Martin Again!

A majestic free-kick by Suarez put the home team ahead just 3 minutes after the equalizer.  But the celebration didn’t last long as a hopeless back pass from Skrtel landed straight into Carlos Tevez’s feet who rounded off Reina to mark his 100^th goal in EPL. However, it wasn’t the first time Skrtel wilted under pressure. Earlier in the game he pulled down Balotelli, which shows  Liverpool aren’t all that accustomed to playing the high defensive line. It was an absolute gift from the the 2 Martins.

HERO to VILLAIN

Written by,

Pranav Byatnal.

Pranav is an Editor and Writer for 18 Yard Box.