It was honours even in the final Premier League battle between Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp as Manchester City and Liverpool played out a 1-1 draw at Anfield.
John Stones finished a clever corner routine by Kevin De Bruyne to give us a first half lead but Alexis Mac Allister’s penalty after the break ensured a point apiece.
The result, which summed up the unyielding rivalry between the Blues and the Reds under Guardiola and Klopp, meant the day ended with Arsenal on top of the table on 64 points after their late victory over Brentford on Saturday, Liverpool a place back in second on goal difference and City third on 63 points.
It points to a tight, tense finale to the 2023-24 campaign with City aiming to win the title for a record-breaking fourth consecutive time, Liverpool wanting to give their manager the ultimate send-off and Arsenal looking to exorcise the ghosts of last season and win their first Premier League in 20 years.
Kevin De Bruyne drove down the right on two minutes and played a clever, delicate ball into the path of an onrushing Phil Foden. Just as our midfield maestro looked to pull the trigger, in came Virgil van Dijk with a toe to nick it off the 23-year-old’s foot.
Then, moments later, the advancing Bernardo Silva nudged the ball to Julian Alvarez, coming inside from his wide left starting point, who blasted a shot straight at Caoimhin Kelleher in the home goal.
De Bruyne, influential as always, tried a cheeky chip over Kelleher on eight minutes after being played in by Alvarez but the ball drifted agonisingly over.
The playmaker followed that up in the next foray forward with a stinging, swerving drive which Kelleher did well to parry away.Liverpool looked to get into the game on 13 minutes as young starlet Conor Bradley twisted and turned down the right channel before sending in a stinging cross that was just too far in front of a sliding Darwin Nunez.
His fellow striker, Luis Diaz had the ball in the net on 19 minutes but, as the Kop erupted, the official’s flag went up with provider Nunez a good two yards offside in the build-up.