Manchester City 2-1 Liverpool

Pep Guardiola’s side close gap to four points with crucial win over league leaders Liverpool as Leroy Sane hits winner after Roberto Firmino cancelled out Sergio Aguero’s strike

Off it came, from the inside of the right post. Along the goal line, in at the left post. Ladies and gentlemen, we have what is known as a title race. And a proper one, now the head-to-head meetings of these teams are done. Match by match, weekend by weekend, they will fight each other by proxy around the grounds. Maybe Tottenham will chip in, too. It should be grand entertainment. Buckle up.

Manchester City are right back in it and deservedly so. They shaded this even if it was an unconventional performance from a Pep Guardiola side, more blood and thunder than tiki-taka.

The dying minutes of the match even found him channelling his inner Klopp, imploring, gesturing to the crowd to make more noise and get behind the team as they regrouped to repel a fresh barrage of Liverpool long balls. When the danger finally passed, and a goal kick was awarded, there was none of that highbrow playing out to the full-back. Ten blue shirts headed upfield and Guardiola ordered Ederson to kick as long as he could. And that man can kick.