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Liverpool boost title hopes with victory over City
Liverpool's Raheem Sterling (R) challenges Manchester City's Javi Garcia during their English Premier League soccer match at Anfield in Liverpool. Photo: Nigel Roddis, Reuters
Premier League leaders Liverpool took a huge step towards becoming English champions for the first time in 24 years when they defeated third-placed Manchester City 3-2 at Anfield for a ninth successive win.
The Merseyside club have not finished top since 1990, two years before the Premier League began.
Nineteen-year-old Raheem Sterling put Liverpool ahead in the sixth minute and the lead was doubled 20 minutes later when defender Martin Skrtel headed in a corner.
City, who lost the influential Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure with an injury after little more than quarter of an hour, recovered with two goals in five minutes early in the second half. David Silva scored in the 56th minute and the equaliser was an own goal by Glen Johnson.
But 13 minutes from the end of a thrilling game, Brazilian Philippe Coutinho drove in the winner. Liverpool's Jordan Henderson was sent off in added time.
The Manchester side now trail Liverpool by seven points with two games in hand and are still two points behind Chelsea, having played one game fewer.
By Brooks Peck | Dirty Tackle – 57 minutes ago
(Balls.ie)
Steven Gerrard in tears after important Liverpool win over Man City on emotional day
(Balls.ie)
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has spent his entire career with his hometown club. He's won just about everything in that time, but never the Premier League title. With a 3-2 win over Man City in which Gerrard was a driving force, Liverpool took a big step towards that first league title in 24 years before the emotions of the day proved overwhelming.
The entire weekend in English football has been filled with tributes to the 96 victims of the Hillsborough tragedy as the 25th anniversary of the crush that occured at the 1989 FA Cup semifinal between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. Nowhere were the emotions of those tributes more powerful than at Anfield and the Liverpool players carried that to a 2-0 halftime lead. After a shambolic first-half, Man City recovered and scored twice in a five minutes span around the hour mark, but a failed clearance attempt from captain Vincent Kompany set up Philippe Coutinho for the winner in the 78th minute.
Though Liverpool's Jordan Henderson was sent off during added time, giving him an automatic three-match ban that will keep him out of what could be an even more important match against Chelsea, when the final whistle blew the Anfield erupted as it relived the distant memory of domestic-league glory. The mix of sporting victory and human loss, of joy and pride overflowed for Gerrard, who looked to the sky with his eyes tightly shut to hold back the tears as he embraced his teammates.
Gerrard then led a huddle of players, giving a fiery and inspirational speech. When asked by a reporter what he said in that huddle, he replied, "None of your business."
There's still work to be done if Liverpool are going to win the title this season and Gerrard made it clear that he knows that. But regardless of what happens next, this was a memorable day for Liverpool and a beautiful moment for football.
