City suffer frustrating end to superb clash against Liverpool
Manchester City endured an agonising conclusion to their preseason game at the MetLife Stadium.
Sadio Mane stroked home a 94th minute penalty to clinch a 2-1 victory for Liverpool, after Tosin Adarabioyo had foolishly clattered into Dominic Solanke.
Leroy Sane’s clinical finish had broken the deadlock earlier in the half. However Mohamed Salah equalised contentiously before Mane swept past Joe Hart in the dying embers of the match.
In a fiery game hardly symptomatic of a warm-up encounter, neither side were prepared to sit back and it made for a vibrant match.
City, whose young team fared incredibly well against Liverpool’s superior experience and quality, had the better of the early opportunities.
Riyad Mahrez was included in the starting eleven for a second time, while Leroy Sane and Bernardo Silva added to City’s armoury later on. Cameron Humphreys came in for Douglas Luiz in Guardiola’s only alteration from the Borussia Dortmund game.
The Sky Blues also donned their attractive navy away strip for the first time.
Lukas Nmecha almost edged Manchester City ahead when he was presented with a clear chance, however couldn’t fire past Karius on the first or second attempt.
Oleksandr Zinchenko dragged a long range free kick narrowly wide as City looked to intensify the pressure in New Jersey’s evening heat.
The second period continued in the same vein and despite Guardiola opting for fresh players, two of Manchester City’s regulars combined to devastating effect.
A pinpoint through ball from Bernardo Silva was latched onto by Sane, whose electrifying pace meant he was the only man capable of getting to the pass. The German waltzed past Virgil van Dijk and slotted into the bottom right hand corner to cap off a ravishing move.
City looked well equipped to secure their first win of preseason. But Liverpool’s depth, not a feasible option for Guardiola, meant they had the ability to change the game.
Mohamed Salah came off the bench and transformed the game – including the atmosphere – within seconds of entering the field.
Liverpool thrived on the buzz the Egyptian created, and he nodded home under a minute after emerging from the bench.
There was controversy as he strayed offside when the cross came in, however neither the referee nor linesman spotted it and the goal stood.
The Reds rode Salah’s wave and Manchester City were shaken. The former Roma man clipped onto the bar moments later, and it looked increasingly likely Liverpool were destined to snatch it.
And when Adarabioyo charged into Mane deep in stoppage time, Klopp’s side were handed that chance.
Mane, who had also come on as a substitute earlier on, showed icy coolness to roll down the middle and consign City to a second defeat in as many games.
Guardiola and co. have the chance to go out on a high when they take on Bayern Munich in their final match. The Bavarians have travelled out with a squad of similar youth, so City can gauge a far better understanding of how far their fledgling players have come.