Imperial In the first period, Liverpool resisted the attempt to return Manchester City on Saturday in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, and qualified (3-2) for the final on May 14.
The confrontation between the two teams in the league ended in a 2-2 draw, as the two visiting teams managed to return twice to the score and expected a tense confrontation again.
If the final minutes lifted Wembley’s pulse, most of the match was in the Reds’ favour, both on the grass and in the stands.
City’s first 45 minutes were completely incomprehensible, with the Sky Blues stammering in football and at times looking like a loser on the pitch.
On the other hand, Liverpool took the match on the right side, pressed their opponent with great force and was incredibly realistic.
– Stephen delivers the second goal –
From the ninth minute, Ibrahima Konate, who opened the scoring with a header and a corner kick in the first leg and the return leg against Benfica, in the Champions League quarter-final, did it again to put the Reds in control. The match (1-0).
Certain choices of Pep Guardiola, even if they did not deviate from his general philosophy, had disastrous consequences.
Fernandinho, who started in midfield despite having rarely played this season and recently announced his intention to leave City this summer, has been completely out of the game in midfield.
And Zach Stephen, a favorite over Ederson, by virtue of constant caged rotation, bears great responsibility for the second goal.
On a back pass, with the sun in his eyes, he seemed to not see how fast Sadio Mane was, and the Senegalese made a perfect save to block his pass attempt and push the ball to the bottom (2-0, 17).
Mane even offered himself a double at the conclusion of a brilliant teamwork, capitalizing on a perfect turn by Thiago Silva to shoot the ball at the near post and still trick Stephen with his questionable position (3-0, 45th position).
– Alison gets the job done –
Despite the disastrous display, Guardiola didn’t change anything at the break and his players seemed to prove him right, as Jack Grealish cut the score after a fine serve from Gabriel Jesus, who finally found a hole in the red-back (3). 1, 47).
The second quarter was more balanced, but we can’t say that Liverpool were often in danger in this match.
Riyad Mahrez’s entry, seven minutes from the end of the regulatory time, seemed to restore the tone of the citizens’ attack, but it was too late.
In one of his offsides, Alisson saved his shot from a narrow angle, but it returned to the feet of Bernardo Silva who reduced the score in the last three minutes suddenly more exciting than the 91 that preceded it.
Alisson did the job again with a shot from Raheem Sterling in the 90 + 3 minute, but in the end with great control the Reds will return to Wembley in mid-May to try to win their second title of the season after the European Cup. league.
They will face either Chelsea or Crystal Palace, who will battle it out on Sunday.
