City and Liverpool show why Premier League is the world's favourite

MANCHESTER, England : Excitement, intensity, action and quality from the first minute to the last - the 2-2 draw between leaders Manchester City and second-placed Liverpool on Sunday showed just why the Premier League is the sport's number one competition.

The result means the title race remains wide open - Pep Guardiola's City remain one point ahead of Juergen Klopp's Liverpool - and few would bet against it going to the wire with each side having seven games left to play.

But even without the added tension provided by the context of the battle for top spot, the contest at the Etihad Stadium had everything that a connoisseur of the game or the occasional viewer alike would want from their 90 minutes.

Fans around the world are attracted to the Premier League by the international cast of star attractions - the players on the field and the tacticians on the sidelines - and this game had the very best.

City's Belgian Kevin De Bruyne, the most complete midfielder in the world, showed his power, strength and finishing ability to put the home side ahead in the fifth minute and after the break visiting forward Mohamed Salah's sublime pass and Sadio Mane's deadly finish ensured the points were shared.

From the domestic players, City's talented Phil Foden showed off his brilliant control and dribbling skills while Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold's cushioned set-up for Diogo Jota's 13th minute goal to make it 1-1 was glorious technique and awareness before Gabriel Jesus put the hosts in front again.

TACTICAL CONTRAST

Tactically, the game was billed as a contrast between Spaniard Guardiola's famous commitment to short-passing possession football and German Klopp's more direct, all-action, pressing style.

But it did not quite play