Premier League talking points

LONDON : Talking points from weekend's Premier League games:

GUARDIOLA SHOWS RUTHLESS TOUCH AS DE BRUYNE HOOKED

When Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne was substituted after 69 minutes of a rip-roaring contest at Anfield with the game locked at 1-1 and top spot up for grabs there was widespread surprise, not least from the Belgian playmaker.

De Bruyne, a key component of five Premier League title triumphs, was not impressed and made his feelings known to manager Pep Guardiola who sent on the more defensively-minded Mateo Kovacic.

City hung on for the draw in the face of a Liverpool onslaught, vindicating Guardiola's decision - as if anyone would ever doubt the wisdom of the Spanish serial winner.

It showed the high standards Guardiola sets and that no player, not even De Bruyne, is bigger than the collective.

"He will have a chance in the next game to prove how wrong I was, so next time he'll have it. It's fine," Guardiola said.

QUANSAH SHOWS FUTURE IS BRIGHT AT LIVERPOOL

Juergen Klopp may be entering the final months of his Liverpool reign but the German will leave behind a squad equipped to battle for silverware for many years.

A lengthy injury might have derailed Liverpool but Klopp's faith in youth has been richly rewarded and Jarell Quansah typified that on Sunday during the 1-1 draw with Man City.

The 21-year-old centre back, making his sixth league start of the season after injury ruled out Ibrahima Konate, was superb alongside Virgil van Dijk in nullifying the threat of City's goal-machine Erling Haaland.

With Conor Bradley (20) and Harvey Elliott (20) also starting, it was the first time Liverpool had named three players aged 21 or under in a league clash against City since 2015. All three proved up to the biggest test in