Advantage Arsenal as Man City survive Liverpool onslaught to draw at Anfield

Manchester City survived an Anfield onslaught to take a point in Sunday’s title clash with Liverpool - handing Arsenal the lead of the Premier League table with ten games to go.

The goal-happy Gunners, on a run of eight consecutive league wins, left it late to beat Brentford earlier in the weekend and now sit atop the summit courtesy of a better goal difference than Liverpool, with City just a point behind both.

The run-in has the potential to be as frantic and dramatic as any title race before it and this meeting, the last between Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola in this competition at least, set the scene perfectly.

It was the visitors who started brightly before Liverpool rallied and had a goal ruled out for offside.

John Stones broke the deadlock on 23 minutes after an expert corner-kick routine. Kevin De Bruyne’s low delivery allowed Stones to wander in and slot home at the near post while Nathan Ake blocked off his marker.

The Reds improved but lacked precision in the final third, Dominik Szoboszlai and Luis Diaz going close before their reprieve came just 84 seconds into the second half.

Nathan Ake’s underhit backpass forced Ederson off his line and the goalkeeper cleaned out Darwin Nunez having arrived second to the ball, sending the Uruguayan tumbling. Ederson required treatment before facing Alexis Mac Allister’s penalty and eventually came off - but only after Liverpool levelled up with an accurate spot-kick into the top corner.

That sparked an impressive spell of pressure created by the hosts, with Luis Diaz let down by his touch twice and his finish on the other in three big chances that fell his way.

Pep Guardiola took off De Bruyne as City did about as much settling for a point as they know how, prompting a frustrated response from the Belgian as he became Mateo Kovacic’s makeweight.

Foden was denied again in odd circumstances as Kelleher punched Ake’s cross onto his arm, pinging the ball back onto the crossbar - which VAR would have likely ruled out.

Jeremy Doku came off the bench to nearly grab the headlines at both ends, first by hitting the woodwork with a low effort as stoppage time began before crunching Mac Allister with a high boot in the other box, only to be saved in the VAR review by the sight of his toe nudging the ball before making contact with the man.