Manchester City Tenggelamkan Liverpool 2-1
Manchester City Sink Liverpool 2-1
Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Novita Cahyadi
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Manchester (B2B) - Menjamu tim tamu Liverpool di Etihad Stadium, Manchester City yang tampil lebih mendikte pada laga Boxing Day dalam lanjutan pertandingan Liga Premier akhirnya meraih poin penuh untuk berada di posisi kedua klasemen Liga Premier.
Tampil tanpa mesin golnya Sergio Aguero dan dua beknya Matija Nastasic dan Micah Richards tidak membuat daya sengat City berkurang untuk menang 2-1 dari The Reds, seperti dilansir Yahoo News.
Walau demikian Liverpool unggul lebih dulu pada menit 24 babak pertama lewat Philippe Coutinho.
Luis Suarez membuat sontekan untuk mengirim bola ke Raheem Sterling yang mengitari Joe Hart dan begitu sudut menyempit Philippe Coutinho menunggu untuk menyambut umpan dan memasukkannya ke gawang City. 1-0 untuk Liverpool.
Tujuh menit kemudian pada menit 31, Manchester City yang mendominasi penguasaan bola semenjak gol Liverpool tadi menyamakan kedudukan berkat sundulan Vincent Kompany.
Tepat menit 45, Manchester City membalikkan keadaan menjadi unggul 2-1 berkat gol Alvaro Negredo.
Gol ini diawali dari manuver Samir Nasri yang membuka pertahanan Liverpool dengan umpan matang kepada Jesus Navas dan meneruskannya ke Alvaro Negredo yang melepaskan tendangan melengkung di atas kepala kiper Simon Mignolet dan jatuh ke dalam gawang Liverpool.
Kedudukan 2-1 yang tercipta pada babak pertama ini tidak berubah selama babak kedua dan pertandingan ini berakhir.
Kemenangan ini sendiri membuat Manchester City mengemas 38 poin untuk menggeser Chelsea dari peringkat kedua, dan menempel pemuncak klasemen Arsenal yang mengumpulkan 39 poin.
Sekitar dua jam lalu Chelsea berada di posisi dua setelah mengalahkan Swansea City 1-0 untuk mengoleksi 37 poin.
Sementara itu Liverpool yang beberapa jam lalu masih asyik di puncak klasemen, terpental ke posisi empat di bawah Chelsea yang satu poin di atasnya.
Manchester - Manchester City closed to within one point of Premier League leaders Arsenal with a comeback victory over Liverpool in an enthralling encounter at The Etihad.
Liverpool topped the table on Christmas Day and, after Arsenal´s win at West Ham earlier on Boxing Day, would have returned to the top had they been the first team to beat City at home this season.
Philippe Coutinho gave them a first-half lead - only for Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany to swiftly head an equaliser.
City´s victory was secured in first-half injury time when Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet made a hash of his attempt to keep out Alvaro Negredo´s chip, ensuring Manuel Pellegrini´s side kept their flawless home league record.
Liverpool, however, will take great encouragement from a performance that merited a draw, with Raheem Sterling wasting the best of several opportunities they created after the break, firing over with the goal at his mercy after good work from the dangerous Luis Suarez.
Pellegrini will regard this as further evidence City´s title challenge is gathering momentum, while Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will be convinced this proves they can live comfortably in such elevated company.
The Northern Irishman will also question an offside decision against England winger Sterling in the first half and a late penalty claim when Suarez´s shirt was pulled by Joleon Lescott.
Another big plus for City was an excellent performance from recently recalled keeper Joe Hart, who saved crucially from Coutinho and Jordan Henderson either side of the interval.
As a superb first half started to unfold, City were quickly into their stride and Mignolet was relieved to see a far post header from Jesus Navas glance off the woodwork to safety.
But Liverpool grew into the game and were soon demonstrating the passing and attacking movement that has become a characteristic of their game this season.
