Liverpool v Manchester City – First half review: English Premier League - Part 2
After dominating the ten minutes of play at Anfield, Liverpool opened the scoring in their English Premier League matchup against Manchester City with a blistering Andy Carroll strike. Carroll was on the providing end when he played in Luis Suarez early
on in the match but this time the ex-Newcastle striker took matters in his own hands just outside the Manchester City penalty area. The muscular striker pounced on Vincent Kompany’s mistimed clearance from http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Raul-Meireles-c30678’ shot, and blasted the ball past Joe
Hart into the bottom corner of City’s goal to bring the score line to 1-0 at Anfield.
It was a marvellous strike by the 35 million pound man who made his switch from Newcastle United to Liverpool in the dying stages of the January 2011 transfer window. However, disaster struck for Manchester City soon after as Carlos Tevez pulled up with
a hamstring injury. The Argentinean striker signalled to the bench for a substitution, and as a result was replaced with Mario Balotelli as City lost their talisman in the 16th minute of the first half. This injury prompted Roberto http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Mancini-c23323 to change
his team’s formation as City shifted to a traditional 4-4-2 formation from a dynamic 4-4-1-1 formation.
Liverpool continued to dominate possession and with Tevez’s energy missing up front for the Citizens, the Reds were seldom disturbed while they were in control of the ball. Additionally, Balotelli’s lack of work rate made it easier for Liverpool’s center
backs to pass the ball around inside their own half, thus adding to the buildup play for the Reds. In the 27th minute, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Fabio-c13152 Aurelio became the first player to get booked in the match as the Brazilian full back committed a late sliding challenge
on http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Adam-Johnson-c3537.
Referee, Mark Halsey was on hand to spot the infringement and promptly brandished his yellow card for Liverpool’s left back, as Manchester City was awarded the free kick. Mario Balotelli stepped up to take the free kick but his eventual effort was deflected
out of play for a corner kick. Aleksandar Kolarov took the set piece for Manchester City and found http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Mario-Balotelli-c23937 who played in Dzeko. The ex-Wolfsburg striker was off the mark with his attempt as the score line remained at 1-0 to the home side.
In the 34th minute, Liverpool struck gold with Dirk Kuyt adding to their one goal lead. The Dutchman was the first Liverpool player to react to Fabio Aurelio’s deflected shot as he provided the calmest of finishes by sliding the ball past Joe
Hart on the far post. With the score line at 2-0, Liverpool went for the kill in the 36th minute as Raul Meireles whipped in a first time cross for Andy Carroll. The Englishman jumped above http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Aleksandar-Kolarov-c4475 on the far post to give his team a three
goal lead.
The first half eventually came to an end with the score line at 3-0. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Dirk-Kuyt-c11348’s fine finish from just inside the Manchester City penalty area. Their third came soon after through Carroll’s header via Meireles’
cross. City was second best throughout the first 45 minutes of the match at Anfield as they lost their captain, Carlos Tevez early on in the tie due to a hamstring injury.
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