FT: MAN CITY 3-0 LIVERPOOL

Date: Tuesday 3 January 2012
Kick Off: 20:00
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Competition: Barclays Premier League
Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire)
Broadcast: Sky Sports 1, 19:30


LIVE ARTICLE

http://www.ja606.co.uk/articles/viewLiveArticle/71958


Liverpool fell to a disappointing defeat away to Manchester City on Tuesday night in the Premier League.

The Reds more than matched City in terms of general play, but severely lacked a cutting edge in front of goal. Stewart Downing missed a chance on eight minutes when he found himself one on one with Joe Hart, and it didn't get much better from there.

Two minutes later, Sergio Aguero received the ball before hitting a speculative effort goalwards. Pepe Reina made a rare error and let the ball slip under him to give City the lead.

Liverpool responded well and and poured forwards looking for the equaliser, but couldn't carve out any real openings against an organised City defence. And on 33 minutes they were hit with a sucker punch. David Silva swung the ball in from a corner kick and Yaya Toure headed it in off the bar.

The second half was a similar story to the first, with Liverpool looking in vain for a way back into the match. On 73 minutes, Gareth Barry was sent off after collecting his second yellow card, but just two minutes later the game was killed off.

Yaya Toure was put through on goal and Martin Skrtel, racing back with him, made a challenge and Toure went down without a great deal of contact being made, and the referee pointed to the spot. James Milner stepped up to smash it into the top right corner.

The result leaves City three points ahead of Manchester United having played a game more, while Liverpool remain in sixth place, three points off fourth place.


LIVE SCOREBOARD

MAN CITY - 3
Aguero 10'
Y Toure 33'
Milner pen 75'

LIVERPOOL - 0



LIVE LEAGUE POSITIONS

1. Man City - Pld 20, W 15, D 3, L 2, F 56, A 16, GD 40, Pts 48.
6. Liverpool - Pld 20, W 9, D 7, L 4, F 24, A 18, GD 6, Pts 34.


TEAMS

Man City
25 Hart
2 Richards
28 K Toure
4 Kompany
22 Clichy
42 Y Toure
18 Barry (sent off 73')
7 Milner
16 Aguero (A Johnson 72')
21 Silva (Lescott 75')
10 Dzeko

Subs: 30 Pantilimon, 5 Zabaleta, 6 Lescott, 11 A Johnson,
13 Kolarov, 15 Savic, 34 De Jong.

Liverpool
25 Reina
2 Johnson
37 Skrtel
5 Agger
3 Enrique
14 Henderson
20 Spearing (Rodriguez 76')
26 Adam (Gerrard 57')
18 Kuyt (Bellamy 57')
9 Carroll
19 Downing

Subs: 32 Doni, 8 Gerrard, 11 Rodriguez, 23 Carragher, 33 Shelvey, 34 Kelly, 39 Bellamy.


KEY UPDATES

10: GOAL - MAN CITY 1-0 LIVERPOOL
Sergio Aguero (16) receives the ball a long way from goal and cuts inside before hitting an ambitious effort from 25 yards, but Pepe Reina makes a rare error and lets the ball slip under him into the net.

33: GOAL - MAN CITY 2-0 LIVERPOOL
Man City win a corner on the right which David Silva crosses in, and Yaya Toure (6) rises to head it in off the bar.

45: MAN CITY BOOKING
Gareth Barry receives a yellow card (7) for a foul on Jay Spearing.

56: LIVERPOOL BOOKING
Glen Johnson receives a yellow card (2) for a foul on Sergio Aguero.

57: LIVERPOOL SUB
Charlie Adam is replaced by Steven Gerrard.

57: LIVERPOOL SUB
Dirk Kuyt is replaced by Craig Bellamy.

72: MAN CITY SUB
Sergio Aguero is replaced by Adam Johnson.

73: MAN CITY SENDING OFF
Gareth Barry receives a second yellow card and a red card (1) for a foul on Daniel Agger.

74: PENALTY TO MAN CITY
Yaya Toure makes a run into the box and Martin Skrtel brings him down, and Mike Jones points to the spot.

75: GOAL - MAN CITY 3-0 LIVERPOOL
James Milner (3) steps up and blasts the ball into the top right corner.

75: MAN CITY SUB
David Silva is replaced by Joleon Lescott.

76: LIVERPOOL SUB
Jay Spearing is replaced by Maxi Rodriguez.


LAST MATCHES

Man City
Sunday 1 January 2012
Barclays Premier League
Sunderland 1-0 Man City

Liverpool
Friday 30 December 2011
Barclays Premier League
Liverpool 3-1 Newcastle

Head to head
Sunday 27 November 2011
Barclays Premier League
Liverpool 1-1 Man City


TOP SCORERS

Man City
Sergio Aguero - 16
Edin Dzeko - 13
Mario Balotelli - 11

Liverpool
Luis Suarez - 8
Craig Bellamy - 5
Maxi Rodriguez - 4