LIVERPOOL 2, MAN CITY 2
Roberto Mancini is looking for reinforcements as Manchester City are discovering that a successful defence of their Barclays Premier League title may not be the formality many believe it will be.
After edging an unconvincing victory against newly-promoted Southampton at home one week earlier, City also found new-look Liverpool equally awkward opponents.
And the only reason City left Anfield with a point was because of two calamitous pieces of defending from Liverpool.
City’s manager is hoping to add to his squad before the transfer window shuts on Friday night.
He said: “We need players and in the next five days will be working hard.
“We have our targets and hopefully we will close in on them in the next few days.”
Mancini, who has Swansea winger Scott Sinclair on his wanted list, was not displeased with City’s display saying they didn’t deserve to lose adding a draw was probably a fair result.
His only criticism was his side failed to take the chances they created, especially early in the match adding his team needed to be clinical in front of goal if it was to win at Anfield.
Any thought it would be a straightforward victory for City quickly disappeared as Liverpool, well beaten at West Brom in their opening fixture, quickly erased that disappointment.
Liverpool may not longer be the force they once were, but new manager Brendan Rodgers has quickly introduced and instilled the total-football philosophy which won so many admirers at previous club Swansea.
The quality and fluency of Liverpool’s passing had City in retreat as they asked more questions of the champions than most other clubs have done in the last 12 months.
Liverpool even made light of losing Brazilian Lucas less than five minutes into the match which forced a reshuffle in midfield as Jonjo Shelvey made an early entrance.
After a low-key opening, the match ignited when Fabio Borini shot narrowly wide for Liverpool and Carlos Tevez struck the woodwork for City from an impossible angle.
Vincent Kompany almost sliced a low Steve Gerrard cross into his own net as City experienced some anxious moments defensively.
And it was from Gerrard’s corner, which followed Kompany’s lapse, that Liverpool took a34th minute lead when Martin Skrtel powered home an unstoppable header.
Luis Suarez had decent efforts either side of the break to double Liverpool’s lead as it was clear City were in for an uncomfortable ride.
City, who had brought on Jack Rodwell and Edin Dzeko, equalised midway through the second period after a lucky break.
Tevez delivered a teasing cross from the right which keeper Pepe Reina missed and the ball hit Martin Kelly and fell to Yaya Toure who won’t ever have an easier goal.
City’s joy was short lived as Liverpool regained the lead within three minutes through a brilliant Suarez free kick which was bent around the defensive wall.
Another defensive mistake presented City with an equaliser in the 80th minute when Skrtel’s woeful back pass to Reina was intercepted by Tevez who was gifted their leveller, his 100th goal in English football.
Late on Dzeko went close a couple of times for City while Liverpool substitute Andy Carroll made a header clear off the line by Rodwell as the spoils were shared.