It’s as you were in the Premier League title race after Manchester City and Liverpool drew 2-2 on Sunday.
The two title contenders played out a frantic game at the Etihad stadium. Manchester City had the slight edge, and even had a third goal disallowed for a narrow offside.
However, once Liverpool made it 2-2 just after half time, you got the sense that both sides would have taken a draw.
It means Manchester City have the slight advantage in the Premier League title race. It is no longer in the hands of Liverpool, who must count on City slipping up.
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City manager Pep Guardiola, who is renowned for overthinking the big games, quietly played this one very well.
This game has been hyped for weeks as the pivotal moment in the 2021-2022 Premier League title race. However Guardiola, while not downplaying its importance, has presented an unnervingly calm public face in the pre and post game discussion.
Both before and after the game, Guardiola embodied the ‘it’s just a game mentality’. When asked about the pressure, he said he was going to relax and watch the golf after the game. He said conceding a goal was something that can happen to any team, and even went as far as to say his team would not be devastated to potentially lose the title to Liverpool with a defeat.
It was a remarkably zen outlook from a man who is famed for his relentless intensity. It’s also a complete contrast to Klopp’s Liverpool, who thrive on emotionally intense situations. It turned out to be the right play.
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Rather than getting sucked into a dramatic, climactic, biblical title decider, City got a draw. They remain one point ahead of Liverpool in the table, the task ahead of them unchanged. Win all their remaining games, and they will be champions.
The City VS Liverpool rivalry for the pursuit of ridiculous achievement continues next weekend at Wembley in the F.A Cup Semi Final.
