Liverpool and Manchester City inseparable after tense tussle

Alexis Mac Allister's penalty earned Liverpool a dramatic 1-1 draw against Manchester City that left the destiny of the Premier League still very much up in the air.

A point apiece means Arsenal remain top of the table on goal difference from Jurgen Klopp’s side but they have to go to the Etihad in three weeks with the gap to City currently only a point.

The Argentina midfielder struck from the spot to cancel out John Stones’ first Premier League goal since April.

In reality this game was never likely to point to the eventual champions but what it did serve up was a reminder that these two teams remain the top-flight’s standard bearers.

Whether that will remain the same after Jurgen Klopp’s departure in the summer remains to be seen but Pep Guardiola has still not won at Anfield in front of fans.

Nevertheless, he left the happier of the two managers after enduring significant second-half pressure.

FULL MATCH DETAILS

Guardiola may consider himself fortunate as in the final seconds VAR ruled Jeremy Doku's chest-high challenge on Mac Allister did not warrant a second spot-kick.

Klopp will be satisfied with a point but will know it was perhaps a missed opportunity.

City changed their pre-match routine and arrived in mini-buses rather than by coach after previous incidents en route to the ground and even Liverpool avoided the heavily-congested Anfield Road, filled with the acrid smoke of flares, to come in the back way.

The first half could be divided into thirds, with City holding the initiative in the first and last but not pressing home their advantage.

Kevin De Bruyne’s early shot was parried by Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher before momentum switched with Northern Ireland's Conor Bradley turning Nathan Ake