City fans complained about the decisions of referee Peter Walton, but it was Liverpool’s players who found the official’s notebook on a regular basis. Six in total, resulting in an automatic fine.
At least it showed Liverpool were trying. None more so than Javier Mascherano, the Argentine dominating midfield, no doubt pumped up after declaring before the game that City’s Abu Dhabi billions could buy players but couldn’t buy history.
It also explained why his booking for persistent fouling brought the loudest cheer of the game from the home fans.
With Carlos Tevez on compassionate leave and Patrick Vieira suspended, City were not at full strength but, as in the defeat at Arsenal a fortnight earlier, not until the final moments did Liverpool give an impression they were making a concerted effort to score.
There was nothing noteworthy during a tense opening quarter in which both sides, lining up in similar formations, cancelled each other out. It would set the tone for the rest of the match.
If anything, Liverpool enjoyed the more threatening possession, but it took until the 25th minute to overly concern City goalkeeper Shay Given, Steven Gerrard curling a shot harmlessly over from the edge of the area.
At the other end, the nearest Pepe Reina came to having to make a serious save was when Pablo Zabaleta’s speculative shot deflected wide off Adebayor.
Indeed, Liverpool were their own worst enemy at times, with Lucas Leiva, Agger and Reina all fortunate some slack distribution was not punished.
But they had their best opening of the match a minute before the break. Martin Skrtel netted in the 2-2 draw between the clubs at Anfield earlier in the season, and the Slovakian should have scored here when sending a free header wide from inside the six-yard box from Gerrard’s corner.
The second half followed the same pattern of the first. It was also woeful.
Mind you, something actually happened on the hour when Reina was finally called into action, diving low to his right to turn Adebayor’s shot around the post with Liverpool claiming handball in the build-up.
The visitors’ first effort on target followed in the 74th minute when Gerrard struck straight into the arms of Given from 20 yards.
After such a famine, this was a veritable feast of action.
With 10 minutes remaining, Skrtel atoned for his earlier miss with a goal-saving challenge on Adebayor after the Ivorian had got in behind the Liverpool defence for the first time.
Moments later, the striker headed over Vincent Kompany’s clipped cross for City’s best chance, while Benayoun had a half-hearted claim for a penalty when nudged inside the area. And that was that. With Torres back, Liverpool now have no excuse for ensuring the same does not apply to their Champions League qualification hopes.
