Manchester City won a “final” according to manager Pep Guardiola to remain in the title race by inflicting Liverpool’s first Premier League defeat of the season with a 2-1 victory at the Etihad.
City’s recent shock back-to-back defeats to Crystal Palace and Leicester had allowed Liverpool to amass a commanding lead in its quest to win a first title since 1990.
But the champion now trails Jurgen Klopp’s men by just four points thanks to Leroy Sane’s winner 18 minutes from time after Roberto Firmino had cancelled out Sergio Aguero’s first-half opener for the hosts.
“It was a final for us, because losing today it was almost over,” said Guardiola on Thursday.
“We are four points behind them and they are the leaders. We have to fight a lot, but this gives us a lot of confidence.”
With no more league meetings between the sides to come, Liverpool’s destiny is still in its own hands, but it will now have the pressure of having a City side that romped to the title with a record 100 points last season on its tails.
“If somebody had told me after both games against Man City we would be 4 points up, I would have paid money,” said Klopp.
“We never won it as a team so we want to finish the season as strongly as possible and we are still in a pretty good position.”
City also had fortune on its side in a pulsating contest, particularly before the break.
Only the finest of margins denied Liverpool the lead on 19 minutes when Sadio Mane burst onto Mohamed Salah’s pass and saw his shot come back off the inside of the post.
John Stones then smacked his panicked clearance into City goalkeeper Ederson but the England international redeemed himself by clearing just before all of the ball had crossed the line.
City was also handed a reprieve by referee Anthony Taylor when captain Vincent Kompany only saw a yellow card for a wild two-footed lunge on Salah.
Relief for Villarreal
Former Arsenal star Santi Cazorla scored twice as Villarreal drew 2-2 with Real Madrid in La Liga with the pint-sized midfielder producing a late header for a share of the spoils.
This was Madrid’s first game since winning the World Club Cup in Doha in December and the draw leaves Santiago Solari’s outfit seven points off top placed Barcelona, four behind Atletico Madrid and two adrift of Seville.
The results: Premier League: Manchester City 2 (Aguero 40, Sane 72) bt Liverpool 1 (Firmino 64).
La Liga: Villarreal 2 (Cazorla 4, 82) drew with Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 7, Varane 20).
