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Liverpool and Manchester City played out a 2-2 draw at Anfield with all four goals coming in the second half. The Reds now have just 1 victory in their last 10 games, whereas for City it was a 6th consecutive draw in the Premier League. Martin Skrtel put Liverpool ahead in the 50th minute with his first ever goal for Liverpool. But goals from Emmanuel Adebayor and Stephen Ireland in quick succession turned the score line around for City. Yossi Benayoun equalized for Liverpool just 74 seconds after Ireland's goal for City to ensure that the home fans left with their voices intact and a share of the points.

Liverpool welcomed their inspirational skipper Steven Gerrard back into the starting line up, after the Engla nd international recovered from a groin injury that had threatened to further curtail a start stop season. Veteran defender Jamie Carragher too returned to the starting eleven at right back, with Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel making up the central defensive pairing. David Ngog retained his place up front as Fernando Torres is still a couple of weeks away from regaining match fitness. Fabio Aurelio, Albert Riera and Yossi Benayoun were all on the bench after the much publicised placenta treatment fast tracked their rehabilitation. Alberto Aquilani was also named among the substitutes as Rafa Benitez resisted the temptation of picking the Italian international from the start.

For Manchester City, Mark Hughes left Argentine international Carlos Tevez on the bench, picking Craig Bellamy on the left side of his attack opting for a 4-3-3 that has worked well for other flair teams like Barcelona and Arsenal. The Welshman was partnered by Emmanuel Adebayor and Shaun Wright-Phillips, with Gareth Barry and Nigel De Jong forming the partnership in the centre of the park. Stephen Ireland earned a rare start for City as the highest sitting midfield man linking up with the top 3.The back four was as expected made up of the usual foursome of Pablo Zabaleta, Joleon Lescott, Kolo Toure and Wayne Bridge.

The Reds kicked off the game on the front foot with Skrtel's header drawing an acrobatic save out of Shay Given in the 5th minute. Gareth Barry also tried his own luck with a header soon after, which was palmed away by Reina. The injury curse however struck Liverpool again as Daniel Agger and Ryan Babel had to be substituted in the 11th and 19th minute respectively. Agger was replaced by Sotirios Kyrgiakos after suffering bruises in a clash of heads with Toure, whereas Benayoun came in for Babel.

The injuries disrupted the flow of the game as both sides struggled to carve out goal scoring opportunities. The next chance also fell to Liverpool in the 28th minute. Gerrard's strike just inside the City box was blocked by Toure, but he struck another powerful volley from the rebound which went just wide of the top right corner.

Surprisingly, Man City were playing extremely conservative football, despite the changes to Liverpool's personnel early in the game. The next chance that City created was in the 36th minute, when Ireland's nutmeg created space for Wright-Phillips at the edge of the Liverpool penalty box. But the winger could not find the target with his right footed effort. Both sides failed to manufacture any more chances and the first half ended an incredibly drab 0-0.

The second half couldn't be more different than the first with an early goal doing well to liven up proceedings. Skrtel gave Liverpool the lead in the 50th minute when he stuck a foot out to Gerrard's brilliant free kick delivery from the left side of the field. But City started dominating possession after going a goal down and got their just rewards in the 69th minute when Adebayor headed in the equalizer from Bellamy's corner. Liverpool committed the cardinal sin of allowing Adebayor a free header to open City's account at Anfield.

Stephen Ireland stunned Anfield when he put City ahead 7 minutes later. Tevez had come on to replace Gareth Barry when City were a goal down, and his pinpoint pass to Wright-Phillips saw the England winger turn provider for City's second. Wright-Phillips turned expertly inside the box before squaring the ball towards Ireland, who had an easy finish to put the Eastlands side 2-1 ahead.

But Liverpool's amazing recovery powers came to the fore again as Benayoun squared proceedings barely a minute after Ireland's goal. David Ngog's speculative effort deflected its way past Shay Given, and Benayoun showed great desire as he slid in ahead of Zabaleta to tap the ball into an empty net. Liverpool pressed hard for a winner in the closing stages of the game and Lucas should have won the game for the home side with a free header from a corner deep into injury time. In the end the game ended 2-2 with both sides walking away with a share of the spoils.

A point sadly does neither team any good, Liverpool with 20 points from 13 games are down in 7th, City have played a game less and have a point more to sit in 6th. Realistically however any title hopes for either side are long gone, and it is quite possible that they will be competing for that 4th Champions League spot with Tottenham from here on.

Teams:

Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Agger (Kyrgiakos), Insua, Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt, Gerrard, Babel (Benayoun / Aurelio), Ngog.
Man City: Given, Zabaleta, Toure (Onuoha), Lescott, Bridge, De Jong, Barry (Tevez), Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Bellamy, Adebayor.

Final Score:

Liverpool 2 - 2 Manchester City

File Photograph Copyright: Barry Zee