GAME OF THE WEEK: MANCITY DISPATCH BELOW PAR LIVERPOOL

Story written by Patrick Kamanga

MANCITY DISPATCH BELOW PAR LIVERPOOL

The red hot Stevan Jovetic flaunted City's embarrassing riches upfront

Manchester City subdued an enterprising Liverpool team dispatching them to the curb with a 3-1 win in the much awaited clash between last seasons’ top two EPL finishers.

Despite the score line, Liverpool were the more attacking of the two sides for most of the game and to emphasize how important Luiz Suarez had been to the Reds, they posed little threat offensively because they lacked the devastating focal point that the Uruguayan provided.

From the back on forward Liverpool’s movement was fluid and flawless for large swathes of the game but disintegrated in the last third largely due to City’s defensive formation and also new signing Fernando who as anchorman alongside Yahya Toure did quick work of disrupting the Red’s forays.

To emphasize City’s attacking strength, their first two goals scored by Stevan Jovetic came against the run of play with City on the back foot with the Reds pushing forward. 

Lovren's defending was woeful

Another interesting observation that should obviously unnerve Reds’ Coach Brendan Rodgers was the fact that his new central defensive signing Dejan Lovren, brought in to instill some steel was partly to blame or straight up culpable in all the three goals Liverpool conceded which would imply that they are far from resolving the defensive frailties that dogged them last season. Liverpool also urgently requires the services of a natural defensive midfielder as Captain Steven Gerrard is simply not a cut out for this role. If new signing, the mercurial Italian Mario Balotelli settles in and is able to keep his focus on the game, it will go a long way in providing the lethal precision required of a striker playing for a team at this level, Daniel Sturridge will simply not be able to carry the team on his own and provide goals the way Suarez did. 

Balotelli's signing should go a long way in helping Liverpool infront of goal

The one positive that Liverpool can take from this lose is that theirs is a team of the near future and the choice of bringing in a handful of new signings provides more of a potential than an instant readymade solution to their current situation. Lazar Markovic’s late substitution for Coutinho in particular sharpened the Red’s attack and instantly brought life. He showed plenty of promise with his intelligent runs as well as passes and his inclusion was the reason they got the consolation goal via Ricky Lambert who missed the opportunity to further cut City’s lead with easiest of chances when he came one on one against Joe Hart.

City barely shifted gears and the manner with which they won this clash implies that it will take a massive effort from the other title contenders to dethrone them from the summit.

Diego Costa broke down a stubborn Leicester

In other matches involving the other top four contenders Chelsea overcame a stubborn Leicester with two second half goals. After a subdued first half, the Blues came out firing on all cylinders after a half time dress down by Jose Mourinho.

Giroud scored the late equalizer but was guilty of many near misses

Arsenal gave a late fight coming from the jaws of death after conceding two first half goals away to Everton at the Goodison Park. With Lukaku as the tormentor in chief, the ease with which the Gunners conceded both goals suggests that further urgent work needs to be done in the transfer market before the close of the transfer window. A lumbering Jack Wilshire as anchorman in particular provided plenty of anxious moment with his lethargic play often losing concentration, barely provided accurate passes or any surge and was quite lucky not to have received a straight red card for a late studded lunge on Everton’s Garreth Barry. 

Wilshire's erratic form a problem area for the Gunners

Olivier Giroud’s inclusion for new signing Alexis Sanchez created focus with a big target man upfront but despite scoring the Gunners second goal and late equalizer, he fluffed three clear chances, two of which were one on one against Tim Howard in goal. If Arsenal is to challenge for the title, Wenger urgently and unreservedly needs to open the coffers and bring in more signings to strengthen his squad.

The one positive that the Gunners can take from this game is a new found fighting spirit and resolve which saw them come back from a near impossible position and salvage a point, important for the team’s overall character. If you consider the fact that Naysmith's second goal for Everton was a clear offside, Arsenal could perhaps have boasted of a famous comeback at the hostile Goodison Park!

Jack Rodwell's free header highlighted the Red Devil's defensive frailties

Manchester United on their part fought tooth and nail to achieve a one all draw away to Sunderland at the Stadium of Lights. Juan Mata scored an early goal against the run of play but it was the manner and ease with which the Black Cats equalized via a Jack Rodwell header from a corner that ominously illustrated how far Man U has fallen. A couple of seasons ago it would have been unfathomable to imagine scoring a free header against a resolute Red Devil defense.

Despite the impending signing of Real Madrid’s Argentine forward Angel Di Maria who will obviously add class and quality upfront, it’s the Red Devil’s defense that is giving Coach Louis Van Gaal sleepless nights and should be the priority before the close of the transfer window. What Manchester United requires urgently is a box to box midfielder, a holding midfielder and one more world class defender.