Man City have still ‘not learnt’ to handle Liverpool ‘washing machine’ at Anfield

Redaction Willow Austin with
Published on 2024-03-11 08:57:37

Former Manchester United player and football analyst Gary Neville criticized Manchester City’s performance after their 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield.

Neville believes that City have still not learned how to handle the chaotic and intense atmosphere at Anfield, which he likened to being in a washing machine.

City took the lead in the 23rd minute through a goal from John Stones, but Liverpool managed to equalize in the second half with an Alexis Mac Allister penalty.

Neville pointed out that City should have maintained their intensity and pressure after scoring the opening goal, rather than easing off and inviting trouble.

Neville said on his Sky Sports podcast: “I thought City would win here today. I said at half-time that City could regret the way in which they approached the last 15 minutes of the first half.

“I don’t know why they do it here, I don’t know why they’ve not learnt.

“They’re a brilliant team, one of the best we’ve ever seen, but they went 1-0 up and then started to relax on the ball. They started to walk to throw-ins, reduce their tempo and rhythm they were in and rely upon. You just invite this mayhem and chaos.

“I once described Anfield as being like thrown in a washing machine, tumbled around. That’s how it used to be like for us sometimes. You can be going ok and then your world caves in all around you.

“The big disappointment for Pep Guardiola will be from the first goal going until half time. That’s the period of the game where they I thought they could have gone for it. They started ambling in the game, almost like killing the clock.

“You can’t kill the clock here. They won’t go quiet this lot, they always come back. You’ve got to go and get the second goal. You’ve got to believe you need that second and then the third. You’re never safe in this ground.

“As soon as that mistake happens from Ake and Ederson [for the Liverpool penalty], you know all hell is going to break loose and then you’re fighting for your lives in the game.

“To win here, you can’t think you’re ok. You can’t let moments drift. You might let the clock run down with three minutes to go, but you can’t do it with 65 minutes to go and that’s what I felt City tried to do.

“They started making passes and standing – and stopped making those runs forward into the box alongside Haaland.

“Once you stop doing that, you’ve got a tidal wave coming towards you and that’s what they had in the second half. Waves of pressure and you can’t stop it then because once they have that at Anfield, it’s very difficult to turn it around.

“But Liverpool in the second half were outstanding. What a great game. Both managers will be proud. It was how a big game should be, it was a monster of a match.”