ARNE SLOT GAMBLE BACKFIRES AS LIVERPOOL STILL HAS TITLE WORK TO DO - 5 TALKING POINTS VS FULHAM

Fulham ran riot in the first half at Craven Cottage as Ryan Sessegnon, Alex Iwobi and Rodrigo Muniz canceled out Alexis Mac Allister's stunning opener for Liverpool

Liverpool's first half display ensured it would come away from Fulham empty handed

CRAVEN COTTAGE, LONDON // Liverpool failed to capitalize on Arsenal's draw with Everton as Arne Slot's men suffered just their second Premier League defeat of the season against Fulham.

The Reds took an early lead at Craven Cottage as Alexis Mac Allister fired an unstoppable long-range effort past Bernd Leno. But that was as good as it got in the first half for Arne Slot's men.

A series of defensive mistakes gifted Fulham a way back into the game as Ryan Sessegnon leveled the scores before Alex Iwobi turned the scoreline around.

And worst was still to come before the break when Rodrigo Muniz expertly spun away from Virgil van Dijk before finishing beyond Caoimhin Kelleher.

Arne Slot made changes early in the second half and they had the desired impact as Luis Diaz and Conor Bradley combined to make it 3-2. But the visitors couldn't find a leveler as Fulham ran out winners.

Liverpool is still in a prime position to win the title but may have to wait a while yet. Here are the key talking points from a disappointing afternoon at Craven Cottage.

Defensive woes

This was a day when all of Liverpool’s industrious defensive work went to pieces. Ibrahima Konate set the scene when he miscontrolled the ball inside his own box, which presented Andreas Pereira the ball inside the Liverpool box.

The Frenchman then failed to deal with a cross into the box for Ryan Sessegnon’s goal, in addition to Curtis Jones' meager attempts to deal with the ball. Andy Robertson then made three defensive errors for Alex Iwobi’s strike, before Virgil van Dijk was outmuscled by Rodrigo Muniz for the third, as he fired beyond Kelleher.

Right-back gamble backfires

With Trent Alexander-Arnold injured and Conor Bradley only just returning from injury, Arne Slot opted to start with Curtis Jones at right-back.

It was a selection that worked in midweek against Everton, but it backfired at Craven Cottage. The hosts repeatedly advanced down their left, with Antonee Robinson and Alex Iwobi impressing against the overworked Jones.

Welcome return

There was just one change to the Liverpool line-up from the midweek win over Everton, with Cody Gakpo coming in to replace Luis Diaz. There had been hopes ahead of the game that Alisson would be back in time to face Fulham, but he again missed out with Caoimhin Kelleher starting again.

But there was better news with Conor Bradley back among the substitutes for the first time since February and the defender made his return to action just after the hour mark.

Second-half fightback

As bad as the first 45 was, the second period was vastly improved, particularly in the final half an hour. Four substitutes certainly helped, with Harvey Elliott hitting the bar in the second half with a curled effort, while Bradley set up Luis Diaz for Liverpool’s second goal on a sunny afternoon in the capital. Federico Chiesa also tested Bernd Leno in injury-time and Liverpool was much better after Slot tweaked his side.

What that means for the table

Defeat brought to an end Liverpool’s 26-man unbeaten run in the Premier League, as the Reds suffered just a second league defeat of the season

But that’s also three losses in four in all competitions. It also means, despite dropping points this weekend, Arsenal has clawed back a point in the Premier League title race. Liverpool still needs 10 more to wrap up the title, something that now can’t happen in two weeks’ time against Leicester City.

- Michael Plant

LIVERPOOL SHOW GRIT IN DERBY WIN, BUT IS VAN DIJK IN DECLINE?

LIVERPOOL, England -- Liverpool restored their 12-point advantage at the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 victory over Everton at Anfield. It wasn't a vintage performance from Arne Slot's side, who were looking to bounce back from consecutive defeats to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League and Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final.

Everton defender James Tarkowski was lucky to avoid picking up an early red card for a reckless challenge on Alexis Mac Allister before striker Beto saw an effort ruled out for offside. Beto also hit the post later in the first half, but it was his countryman Diogo Jota who decided the contest with a fine finish for Liverpool after the break.

The result continues Everton boss David Moyes' dismal record at Anfield, with the Scotsman now winless in 22 visits to the stadium, having lost 15 and drawn seven. It is, however, only Everton's second league defeat since Moyes replaced Sean Dyche as manager back in January, with the Blues currently sitting 15th in the table.

For Liverpool, there is still work to do, but Wednesday night's welcome return to winning ways means they now need a maximum of 13 points from their final eight games to secure the title. -- Beth Lindop

Jota picks his moment

Jota has scored 65 goals for Liverpool, but few will have meant more to him than his latest strike against Everton. For much of the Portugal international's Anfield career, he has been revered by fans for his clinical edge, but this season, his golden touch has -- at times -- abandoned him.

Jota's fine finish in front of the Kop was his ninth goal in all competitions for Slot's side this term, but only his first since his header in the 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest on Jan. 14.

That his 10-game goal drought has coincided with Liverpool crashing out of the Champions League and losing the Carabao Cup final to Newcastle United has led to debate in some quarters over the striker's long-term future.

Diogo Jota scored the winning goal to give Liverpool a 1-0 win over Everton in the Merseyside derby. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Again in the first half against Everton, Jota struggled to make an impact, before opening the scoring with a trademark cool finish past Pickford after the break. His relief was palpable as he wheeled away in celebration, and the cheers from the Liverpool supporters showed just how much they were delighted in their No. 20's timely return to goal-scoring form.

With eight league games still to play this season, Slot will surely hope Jota's strike in the Merseyside derby is the catalyst for his revival in the final weeks of the season. -- Lindop

VAR fails on Tarkowski regarding red card call

Everton defender Tarkowski should have been sent off for a terrible challenge on Liverpool's Mac Allister just 11 minutes into the game. The tackle was so reckless that even Everton legend Duncan Ferguson, working as a TV pundit, said the Toffees' centre-back should have been given a red card, saying, "That's a straight red, he could have broken his leg. That's a red all day long."

Referee Sam Barrott awarded a free kick to Liverpool and immediately issued a yellow card to Tarkowski for the foul. Barrott should have seen the ferocity of the challenge and shown a red, but the bigger mistake was by VAR official Paul Tierney, who chose not to tell Barrott to review the challenge, despite checking it himself.

Tarkowski had won the ball with his initial challenge, but it was the former England defender's follow-through that merited further action. With his studs up in a sliding challenge, Tarkowski caught Mac Allister on the thigh with real force.

Controversy came about regarding a challenge from Everton's James Tarkowski on Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister, which resulted in the defender getting only a yellow card. (Photo by Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images)

But Tierney inexplicably chose not to take further action, with his decision that Barrott's on-field call of a yellow card for a "reckless foul" was correct.

Barrott's failure to spot the foul in real time was an error, but perhaps understandable due to the pace of the game and his inability to see it again. But Tierney had no such excuse, and this was another example of VAR failing in its basic duty of correcting on-field mistakes -- and this was a big one. -- Mark Ogden

Liverpool's attack misfiring

No team has scored more goals than Liverpool's 70 in the Premier League this season, and yet, with the summer transfer window hurtling into view, the need for a shake-up of the Reds' attack is glaring.

Mohamed Salah has been imperious for much of the season -- notching 32 goals in all competitions -- but, with the Egypt international out of contract at the end of the season and about to turn 33, Liverpool need reinforcements to help share the load. Match-winner Jota has nine goals this season, while wingers Luis Díaz and Cody Gakpo have 13 and 16, respectively. Darwin Núñez has seven, and summer signing Federico Chiesa has two.

On paper, those numbers make for encouraging reading. But when you consider that Jota, Núñez, and Díaz have scored just four goals in their last 44 appearances combined, Liverpool's reliance on Salah suddenly looks stark.

A summer reshuffle is needed if Liverpool want to build on the success of this season and continue to challenge for the biggest prizes. -- Lindop

Everton must seal a permanent deal for Alcaraz

It will be of little consolation to Everton after losing at Anfield yet again, but on-loan midfielder Carlos Alcaraz was the best player on the pitch during this defeat, and he showed why the club must make his move a permanent one in the summer.

The 22-year-old arrived at Merseyside on loan from Brazilian club Flamengo in January, and he has been a key figure in their climb away from the relegation zone following Moyes's return to Goodison Park as manager.

Everton have been a tough team to watch in recent seasons, particularly under previous manager Dyche, due to the side being stacked with ball-winners and runners rather than players capable of dictating the play with creativity.

But Alcaraz has added flair and control to Everton's midfield, and he outshone Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch and Mac Allister with his contribution in this game.

Everton can sign the Argentina international for just £12 million when his loan ends this summer and, with their Premier League future as good as secured, keeping Alcaraz at the club as they prepare to launch a new era at their new stadium would be a smart move.

To make such an impact against the best midfield in the league this season underlined his quality and what he adds to Everton. -- Ogden

Van Dijk showing worrying signs of decline

Virgil van Dijk is one of the all-time great Premier League defenders, and the Liverpool captain is assured of legendary status at Anfield, but even the best can have a bad night, and he will want to forget his performance against Everton pretty quickly.

With his contract due to expire at the end of the season, Van Dijk's Liverpool future is still in doubt. His form this season has been good enough to have earned a new deal already, but with his 34th birthday looming this summer, this wasn't a good time to display signs of decline.

The Netherlands international was caught out twice by Everton forward Beto in the first half, making mistakes that he would never have committed during his prime.

When Beto had a goal ruled out for offside -- a very tight decision -- in the first half, Van Dijk's failure to deal with the ball to the forward enabled him to take the chance and score, only for VAR to overturn the goal. Van Dijk had his back to Beto when the ball was played, so wouldn't have known the Everton man was offside.

But his second error was even more out of character. Again, it involved Beto, who latched onto a throughball and ran through Van Dijk, who had missed the ball completely when he attempted to intercept it.

Questions will be asked about Virgil van Dijk and how reliable he can be at Liverpool moving forward. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

When Liverpool won the league in 2019-20, much was rightly made of the fact that no forward had been able to beat Van Dijk in a one-on-one that season.

But Beto caught him out twice and, with respect to the Guinea-Bissau international, he is not in the top bracket of Premier League strikers.

Maybe this was a blip for Van Dijk, but perhaps it was a glimpse into the future. If it is, Liverpool might be reluctant to give their centre-half the kind of contract that he really wants. -- Ogden

Liverpool dig deep to return to winning ways

If winning ugly is a sign of champions, then Liverpool's latest outing showed why Slot's side now find themselves on the cusp of making history.

Not for the first time this season, the league leaders looked some way short of their sparkling best against Everton, lacking the flair and fluency that has been instrumental to them building up a commanding 12-point lead at the summit.

But winning is an addictive habit and, having suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time under Slot before the international break, Liverpool dug deep to clinch a victory that will do plenty to settle any nerves that have been brewing within the Reds fanbase of late.

At the final whistle on Wednesday night, there was an almighty roar from players and fans alike as Liverpool extended their unbeaten run in the league to an impressive 26 games and, perhaps, banished some burgeoning doubts about their title-winning credentials.

"And now you're gonna believe us, we're gonna win the league," crowed the jubilant home supporters as they filed out of the stadium. Certainly, it's getting increasingly difficult to argue with that. -- Lindop

- Beth Lindop and Mark Ogden

LIVERPOOL AND ARNE SLOT LEFT FUMING OVER 5 MICHAEL OLIVER DECISIONS AGAINST EVERTON

Liverpool boss Arne Slot was sent off in the wake of the final whistle against Everton. That came after Michael Oliver caused frustration with multiple decisions.

Michael Oliver during Everton vs Liverpool. (Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Liverpool won't want to hide behind excuses for the draw against Everton. Arne Slot will not be pleased with how his side got sucked into the madness, not for the first time in this fixture — but there's little doubt that refeee Michael Oliver complicated the task for the Reds.

From the first whistle, everything seemed to be going against Liverpool. Bitty fouls were called against the visitor and allowed to slide for the host: Slot's side were hauled up for a foul every 59.7 seconds that Everton had the ball in play.

But as well as this general complaint of poor match control, Oliver incurred the wrath of the Liverpool faithful in several specific incidents. The most high-profile came late on, when Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate were both denied VAR reprieves on the Everton equalizer, but there were flashpoints throughout the game.

Foul by Alexis Mac Allister on Iliman Ndiaye

Everton took the lead in the 11th minute, catching Liverpool out with a well-worked free kick that was finished off neatly by Beto. There was a check for offside, but replays showed that the striker was narrowly onside.

So what's the problem? Well, the free kick quite clearly should not have been awarded in the first place.

This is beyond VAR's remit, so it is up to Oliver to get it right on the pitch. Unfortunately, he completely fell for Iliman Ndiaye's dive.

For that is what it was. This wasn't a case of going down easily or manufacturing contact — Ndiaye simply cheated, throwing himself to the ground to hoodwink Oliver into believing Alexis Mac Allister made any kind of contact.

Oliver bought it. An understandable mistake, but particularly jarring in a game where he steadfastly refused to give anything soft to Liverpool.

In normal circumstances, I'd be calling for the lesser-spotted retrospective diving ban to be applied against Ndiaye; this is a rare case where the officials were successfully deceived by a deliberate act, and the consequences were massive. But judging by the way he departed the pitch 10 minutes later, we might not be seeing him for a long time anyway.

Yellow card for Andy Robertson

In fairness, plenty of Liverpool fans were more annoyed at Andy Robertson than Oliver for this one. But it was deeply frustrating when the Scot saw yellow early on for kicking the ball away.

It's the kind of incident that often goes unpunished. Robertson could just about argue that he was already committed to playing the ball before the whistle blew — if I'm being honest, he definitely had time to pull out of it, but there's typically a degree of leeway.

Oliver chose not to apply that approach, leaving Robertson with a long time to handle his booking. As with so many complaints against referees, it boils down to consistency.

Later in the contest, for instance, Beto punched the ball away after play had been stopped. Unlike Robertson, he could not even make a case that he was intending to play the ball legitimately, and yet a card was not produced.

Idrissa Gueye avoids second yellow card

Nobody wants to brandish a red card in the derby (except after the final whistle, apparently, when you can look like you're being authoritative with zero consequences for the match). But it was Oliver's job to referee the football match, not the occasion.

As such, he had no right to ignore Idrissa Gueye's brazen pull-back on Mohamed Salah as Liverpool sought to break away. Oliver signaled the advantage, using that to explain his decision amid protests from those in red, but Slot would undoubtedly have preferred to see the opponent reduced to 10 men.

Idrissa Gueye is put under pressure by Mohamed Salah during the Premier League match between Everton and Liverpool. (Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)

It was, after all, a textbook yellow card. Gueye made no attempt for the ball, dragging Salah back in order to stop the attack — had he not been on a yellow already, there would have been no question about it.

Everton will say that Conor Bradley benefited from similar lenience later on. But the Northern Irishman's second foul was far less of a nailed-on bookable offense.

Carlos Alcaraz not penalized for foul on Mohamed Salah

Despite playing into these headwinds, Liverpool had managed to take the lead. It was holding onto its advantage as the match entered five minutes of stoppage time.

The goal, of course, was to take the sting out of the game, and keep the ball up at Everton's end of the field. Salah sought to do just that, jinking past two Everton players before being hacked down by substitute Carlos Alcaraz near the edge of the area.

Of all the incidents Oliver allowed to slide, this was perhaps the most brazen. It's just inexplicable how he decided it was not a foul.

And the consequences proved to be dire. Rather than getting the chance to run down the clock a little more and perhaps work the free kick into the corner, Liverpool was forced onto the back foot, and Everton ultimately equalized.

There was not enough of a causal link for VAR to get involved. But it seems near-certain that Liverpool would have won the match if Oliver had not got this easy decision horribly wrong.

Everton's equalizer

I'll bundle the complaints about the equalizing goal into one section, but there was plenty to aggrieve Liverpool. For one thing, it came more than two minutes beyond the amount of time added on.

Of course, the referee has the power to extend play beyond the indicated "minimum", and Oliver was right to do so. A clash of heads between two Everton players did delay the contest.

But it's rare for match officials to genuinely reflect all additional stoppages when extending the amount of added time. Oliver certainly gave Everton every possible chance to find a second goal.

Then there was the offside check. It was very tight, resulting in a single green line being shown to viewers — that means that the decision fell within the Premier League's "tolerance", in which case the advantage goes to the attacker.

In other words, Abdoulaye Doucoure may well have been beyond Van Dijk. Unfortunately, the technology is not up to scratch.

Finally, there was a foul on Konate by Beto. Again, bear in mind that Oliver had been penalizing Liverpool for the smallest of infringements (and non-existent fouls) all game.

Yet despite looking right at it, Oliver did not see fit to punish Beto, even though he clearly impeded Konate. VAR left it alone as well.

Disallowing the goal would have caused absolute pandemonium at Goodison Park. You'd hope that didn't come into the thinking of Oliver and the VAR team — but this was a fitting end to a match where the officials did not appear fit to cope with the demands of the fixture.

- James Martin

ARGENTINA CRUISE PAST CHILE IN WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

Daniel Gao/Getty Images 

Argentina claimed a 3-0 home win over Chile on Thursday thanks to second-half goals from Alexis Mac Allister, Julián Álvarez and Paulo Dybala, to strengthen their grip on top of the South American World Cup qualifying.

The Copa América champions looked dominant and untroubled by the absence of talismans Lionel Messi and Ángel Di María, who received a tribute at the Monumental stadium after his international retirement.

Argentina opened the scoring three minutes after the break, when Liverpool midfielder Mac Allister sent the ball into the net first-time off a cross from Álvarez, who also got on the scoresheet with a long-range effort in the 84th minute.

Substitute Dybala found the net in stoppage time to seal the victory that left the World Cup winners with 18 points, five clear of second-placed Uruguay who host Paraguay on Friday.

Argentina will play at Colombia in a rematch of the Copa América final on Tuesday, while Chile hosts Bolivia, who beat Venezuela earlier on Thursday.

Game Information

Mâs Monumental

3:00 AM, September 6, 2024

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Over/Under: 2.5

Attendance: 52,160

Referees: Jesús Valenzuela

- Reuters 

COPA AMÉRICA FINAL START DELAYED AFTER FANS RUSH GATES

Police put a man in handcuffs after fans rushed the gates at Hard Rock Stadium ahead of the Copa final. Getty Images

 MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The start time for the final of the 2024 Copa América between Argentina and Colombia was delayed for over 75 minutes on Sunday following a security breach in which fans broke through one of the main entry gates.

The game, which was originally scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET, kicked off at 9:22 p.m., and after 120 minutes of regular and extra time Argentina pulled out a 1-0 victory to win the Copa América -- their third consecutive major tournament title and a record 16th trophy in the South American tournament.

The delays before kickoff began when, earlier in the day, video on social media showed fans breaking through the southwest gate at Hard Rock Stadium, with some being tackled or otherwise apprehended by police and security personnel. A security guard manning an interior entrance to the stadium confirmed to ESPN that the southwest gate at the venue had been locked down because of a breach.

Both teams were taken off the field during their respective warmups as the chaos brewed outside.

The stadium briefly went on lockdown, before Hard Rock Stadium issued the following statement: "In anticipation of tonight's Copa America Final, thousands of fans without tickets attempted to forcibly enter the stadium, putting other fans, security and law enforcement officers at extreme risk. Security has shut the gates in order to control the entry process at a much slower rate and ensure everyone is kept safe.

"As a result, tonight's match start time has been delayed until further notice to accommodate for ticketed fans to be able to safely enter the stadium."

Organizers ultimately reopened gates to allow fans to enter the stadium as people at the front of lines were beginning to get crushed by those in behind them. A Hard Rock Stadium spokesperson told reporters: "In collaboration with CONMEBOL and law enforcement officers, the decision was made to open the stadium gates for a short period of time to all fans in order to prevent stampedes and serious injury at the perimeter. There was serious concern of fans being crushed in an attempt to enter."

Earlier in the day an officer for the Miami-Dade Police Department told ESPN that all gates were locked down after the initial rush of fans, while another officer said it kept changing, describing the situation as "very fluid."

Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister's mother Silvina said she needed her son's assistance to enter the stadium and described the situation outside as "inhumane." She said the two were in constant communication as Mac Allister waited in a Hard Rock Stadium tunnel to assist his family inside.

"Alexis had to leave the locker room to help us get in because he was worried. I thought [the game] couldn't continue," she said in a post on social media. "I thought the game wouldn't be played because if the players thought they would resolve this, impossible that it would be played. It was inhumane. We are okay.

"We were in communication with Alexis the whole time, but he said he would stay outside until we would come in. he waited for us until we came in. We hugged him once inside, left him to be calm and told him to win."

Reports said that an estimated 7,000 people without tickets gained entry to the stadium, and prior to kickoff, fans were crowding the aisles and walkways. Security personnel were seen clearing those areas once the game had begun and checking to see if fans without seats had tickets.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and chief public safety officer James Reyes released a statement during the game expressing outrage at what they had seen and saying the county assigned more than 550 police officers to the stadium detail, plus other personnel from neighboring departments.

"Let's be clear: This situation should have never taken place and cannot happen again," read the statement. "We will work with stadium leadership to ensure that a full review of tonight's events takes place immediately to evaluate the full chain of events, in order to put in place needed protocols and policies for all future games."

The Miami-Dade Police issued the following statement after the initial lockdown of the stadium occurred: "We have had several incidents prior to the gates opening at Hard Rock Stadium for the COPA America final game. These incidents have been a result of the unruly behavior of fans trying to access the stadium.

"We are asking everyone to be patient, and abide by the rules set by our officers and Hard Rock Stadium personnel."

Video and images taken by ESPN showed fans crowding around the southwest gate waiting to be let in. Fans have been congregating at Hard Rock Stadium since well before the planned kickoff at 8 p.m. ET, with one parking lot attendant saying he had been called to work early given that fans started to arrive as early as 6 a.m.

A handful of people could be seen receiving medical treatment and asking for water in the sweltering South Florida heat. Officers were able to push the crowd behind black gates and lock down the entrance so that no one could get inside, although plenty of fans had already made it to their seats before then.

A sellout crowd of more than 65,000 was expected for the championship match of the South American tournament, with Argentina looking to defend its title.

It was unclear which of the fans who gained entrance during the rush had tickets to the match. CONMEBOL, South America's governing body, released a statement a day before warning that fans must have tickets to enter the venue.

The Copa América has been plagued by organizational and planning issues almost from the moment the tournament started, with teams complaining about field conditions, field sizes, the state of training fields, as well as crowd control issues.

At the conclusion of Wednesday's semifinal when Colombia beat Uruguay, Uruguayan players Darwin Núñez and Ronald Araújo went into the stands at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, when they thought family members were in danger from opposition fans.

ESPN writer Lizzy Becherano contributed to this story, while information from The Associated Press was also used.

- Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondent

ALEXIS MAC ALLISTER VS MAN CITY

 

LIVERPOOL HOLD SLIM ADVANTAGE IN PL TITLE RACE AFTER THRILLER WITH MAN CITY

Alexis Mac Allister's penalty was enough to give Liverpool a point in their thrilling 1-1 draw against Manchester City. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

 LIVERPOOL, England -- Arsenal were the only winners at the end of Liverpool's titanic tussle with Manchester City at Anfield, but after fighting back to earn a 1-1 draw against the champions, Jurgen Klopp's team are the ones who really have the advantage in the Premier League title race.

Having scored a late winner to seal a 2-1 win against Brentford at the Emirates on Saturday, Arsenal claimed the top spot in the table and held onto it as two of the best sides of the Premier League era slugged it out for almost 100 minutes on Sunday to end the day with a point apiece.

But while a first glance at the table would suggest that the momentum is now with the Gunners, who are a point clear of Liverpool at the top by ending the day ahead of Pep Guardiola's team -- a side attempting to become the first English squad to win four successive titles -- Liverpool will now believe that their destiny is in their own hands.

Win each of their remaining 10 league games and they will finish ahead of City, no matter how many victories Guardiola's side rack up between now and the end of the campaign.

And with Arsenal having to travel to City in their next game, before negotiating perennially tough away fixtures at Tottenham and Manchester United during the run-in, the odds would seem to favour Liverpool as they attempt to tie a bow on Klopp's reign as manager by seeing him off with the title.

Arsenal will need to banish all those doubts about their ability to hold their nerve in the final weeks of the season as Mikel Arteta's players have buckled under the strain while chasing the title and a top-four finish in each of the past two seasons. However, Liverpool have now played Arsenal and City twice, so their path is clear and City will know that Klopp's side now have the ability to win 10 in a row.

Which is why Alexis Mac Allister's second-half equaliser from the penalty spot could turn out to be so important. Had the Argentina international not hauled Liverpool level and had City gone on to win, there would have been a sense of inevitability about City going top and then doing what they always do by crushing all opponents in the weeks ahead to surge to another title.

But Liverpool fought back with a second-half performance of incredible spirit and desire to maintain their slender one-point lead over Guardiola's side. Had VAR asked referee Michael Oliver to review a penalty incident nine minutes into stoppage time, when Jérémy Doku appeared to catch Mac Allister with a foot in the chest in the 18-yard box, the home side could have won and moved four points clear, but Doku got away with it.

ARGENTINA WORLD CUP WINNER ALEXIS MAC ALLISTER SIGNS FOR LIVERPOOL IN $68M DEAL

Liverpool have signed Argentine World Cup-winning midfielder Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton in a £55 million ($68 million) swoop.

The 24-year-old has signed a five-year contract with Jurgen Klopp's side.

Mac Allister joined Brighton from Argentinos Juniors in 2019 and played 112 games for The Seagulls, scoring 20 goals.

ADAM LALLANA ON ALEXIS MAC ALLISTER | VIA THE BIG INTERVIEW WITH GRAHAM HUNTER