Manchester City survived a second half onslaught from Liverpool to eventually triumph on penalties and retain the FA Community Shield for 2019 at Wembley Stadium.
Liverpool’s pre-season results wise hadn’t been brilliant but the current champions of Europe were more than confident of turning over the treble winners from last season in Manchester City, whose own pre-season saw them unbeaten in four games, with the only one drawn against Wolves.
But those results meant nothing as these two went into battle and if last seasons Premier League results were to go by then not a lot would separate these two.
Over 77,000 were inside Wembley to see who could lift the Community Shield and City were the ones to create an early chance as a mistake allowed Leroy Sane to be laid in by ex-Liverpool Raheem Sterling, but the former could only hit his shot into the side netting.
Liverpool then went up the other end and saw decent play by Firmino set himself up for a shot a goal but this went straight at Claudio Bravo in the City net, and then a good chance for Mo Salah came along but a poor finish from the Egyptian saw the effort wide of the City net.
Sterling, who by the way was getting booed pretty loudly by the Liverpool fans, popped up to give City the lead in the 11th minute when a ball played into the six yard box saw him touch an effort towards goal and saw Alisson make a bit of a mess of saving it as the ball squirmed underneath him and over the line.
In the build up to that goal Sane was injured and was substituted in the aftermath of the goal which is a blow to City, and they will hope it’s not to serious. He was replaced by Gabriel Jesus and he almost made an immediate impact when a Kevin de Bruyne cross almost found him, but it just eluded the striker as City looked for a quick second.
Liverpool though were looking for a quick equaliser, and Salah burst into the City box but saw his finish go into the side netting, before a terrific chance for City saw the ball break to Sterling but his effort was beaten away by Alisson, whilst up the other end Salah again saw the ball fall to him inside the box, but again his finish was wayward and over the bar.
A foul on David Silva in the middle of the park saw Pep Guardiola react angrily to the challenge, and resulted in him being shown a yellow card by Martin Atkinson, leaving the City boss fuming about the whole situation. This game meant so much to these two you could tell despite it technically being a friendly, albeit a friendly with a trophy at the end of it.
Liverpool then sent a looping header at Bravo, whilst down the other end Alisson managed to scramble a cross away whilst coming under immense pressure from City, but soon after the half time whistle sounded and City held a slender advantage.
Half Time Liverpool 0 Manchester City 1
City almost capitalised on a Liverpool error early in the second period as Sterling pinched the ball off a defender and fed David Silva, but the skipper, who is starting his final season at City, could only strike an effort over the bar, whilst down the other end a Divock Origi effort deflected into the arms of Bravo.
And then came a big moment when Sterling had a great chance to double City’s lead, but saw his effort strike the inside of the post and come out, much to Liverpool’s relief, and then minutes later it was the Red’s turn to have their heads in their hands when Virgil Van Dijk saw an effort from ten yards hit the underside of the bar and stay out, it was so close to a leveller!!!
And moments later Salah cut inside and struck a left-footed effort against the near post as Liverpool were now putting City under the cosh somewhat, but then came what would have been a moment of controversy as Origi looked to have been fouled, but Atkinson waved play on, and Sterling was put in the clear but totally fluffed his lines and allowed Alisson to gather the effort. Had that gone in Liverpool would have been furious.
Salah, who had been a contest threat to the City defence, again cut inside onto his left-foot, but his powerful effort was well saved by Bravo at the near post, whilst down the other end de Bruyne got a shot away but Alisson was equal to it and got down to save the effort.
But with thirteen minutes remaining Liverpool got what was a well-deserved equaliser it has to be said, when substitute Joel Matip powered home a close-range header which even Bravo could not keep out, and it set up a magnificent last ten minutes or so at Wembley.
Liverpool looked the more likely to find a winner if there was to be one, and Bravo had to come to City’s rescue again when beating away a Keita effort, before Salah again cut inside and saw an effort deflected onto the roof of City’s net.
Salah then shot straight at Bravo, before City almost gifted Liverpool a second when presenting the ball to Salah inside the box, but Bravo again saved to thwart the Red’s attacker, whilst down the other end Liverpool managed to crowd out Sterling, whose attempted effort was blocked.
And then came the moment that Liverpool thought they had won it deep into stoppage time, as Salah saw an effort blocked but then with Bravo on the floor headed the ball back over the keeper and it looked destined for the net until Kyle Walker somehow got back to clear the ball off the goal line just as it was about to go in, it was an unbelievable bit of defending and City had survived again.
And with the final kick of the game Bravo made yet another save, this time at his near post, to deny another substitute Shaqiri, and it all meant the FA Community Shield would be decided by penalties.
And the shootout saw City successful with all five of their spot-kick’s whilst Liverpool missed one of their’s meaning the treble winners from last season retained the FA Community Shield for another season.
Tough on Liverpool who deserved to win the game but they will take many positives into their opening league game against Norwich City at Anfield on Friday night. City travel to West Ham and the Olympic Stadium for their opening game on Saturday lunchtime in the capital.
Full Time Liverpool 1 Manchester City 1 (Manchester City won 5-4 on penalties)
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