Liverpool against Manchester City

Lovely move from Liverpool as Suarez and Henderson combine, a good strike from Uruguayan and a smart save from Hart. Corner.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Martin Atkinson has gone card happy after Milner goes in late on Enrique. No real contact made but still, it was late.

Balotelli lasted 18 minutes. Not what his manager wanted. The first was a silly booking, the second more clumsy but his arm was up as he leant into Skrtel. It was risky.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Here comes Carroll, Kuyt makes way. Good change.

Mancini tells him to go straight down the tunnel, despite the striker protesting his innocence. His arm was up but I'm not entirely convinced that was a yellow.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/red_card.jpg" height="15"> Balotelli walks after a clumsy tackle on Skrtel. Oh dear.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Aguero trots off and Dzeko comes on as Mancini tries to regain some momentum. Liverpool well on top in the last ten minutes.

Enrique crosses deep for Henderson, who tries to volley the ball back scross goal but only succeeds in knocking it out of play.

Cute turn from Suarez as Liverpool pile on the pressure - he twists but Lescott stays with him and wins the ball in rather ungainly fashion.

Another foul conceded by Balotelli. He'd better be careful.

Great deep cross from Henderson, Downing is at the back post and volleys hard but the ball flashes across goal with Kuyt unable to turn it in.

Adam's free kick breaks to Skrtel who pokes on goal but Hart saves on the line.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Balotelli tugs back Johnson and is booked.

Storming run from Enrique, allowed to skip on by a slight moment of hesitation from Kompany, but the defender chooses to shoot rather than cross.

At the other end Milner gets to a through ball in front of Reina but has to take it wide and Enrique barges him off the ball.

Suarez causing havoc in the area as he collects the corner at the back post, gets to the line and lays it across, Lescott's first clearance hits Kuyt, bounces up and allows the defender to hack clear.

Johnson takes on Clichy but the left back stays firm to block his cross and concede a corner. 12 in the game so far.

Suarez gets a free kick off Kompany, to ironic cheers all round.

Comedy of errors as Silva's pass forces a slip from Skrtel, Balotelli in his haste to profit also slips. Laughs all round.

Tough to pick a winner at this stage.

Balotelli muscles Agger into a mistake and Aguero nearly latches onto his loose touch in the area before Reina hoofs clear.

The corner is taken short and clipped to Downing on the box edge, he hits his volley into the ground but it looks like it was dipping under the bar before he flicks over.

Suarez gives Kompany a taste of his own medicine and wins a corner after a good pyhsical battle.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Nasri goes off and Balotelli is on.

Downing's cross flies over Suarez but for some reason Hart dives to punch it clear. Entirely unnecessary but he's got away with it.

Excellent game now - things are getting stretched.

Drama at both ends as Suarez goes down holding his head after a tackle with Kompany, then Aguero gets onto a ball over the top but Reina is out to take him away from goal, then tackle him five yards outside his penalty area on the left flank.

Clichy heads forward as City clear the corner and he tries to clip a ball in behind Johnson for Aguero but the defender is wise to it.

Handball given against Milner when it clearly hit his shoulder. Poor decision by the assistant. Liverpool pour forward and win a corner.

Fantastic cross from Clichy as he was found by Toure - right along the six-yard box and Enrique clears at the far post.

Adam does well to pinch the ball and feeds Kuyt, but he passes to Henderson even though everyone could see he was two yards offside. Not Kuyt's best game, it has to be said.

City more and more on top as the game goes on, but Liverpool still looking threatening on the counter.

Richards is down after a meaty challenge with Enrique but Liverpool press on, Lescott clears Downing's cross and now the City man can get treatment. Looks like Aguero took a blow in the face from a stray Agger arm too. They're all in the wars.

Poor effort from Kuyt as Downing's cross diverted off Kompany into his path, he ducked his head too early and dribbles the ball wide. Should have done much better.

Toure tries to feed a ball through the back line to Aguero, but he was offside and couldn't reach the ball before Reina anyway.

Still quite an open feel to the game, despite the numbers Liverpool are getting behind the ball when City have popssession.

Chances for Liverpool, a cross falls to Henderson, who shuns a first time effort to knock it back for Adam, his shot is blocked and though Suarez jogs on to the loose ball at the byline his cross is blocked.

Slightly risky football from Lucas as he turns Toure in his own penalty area before coming away with the ball. Sloppy start to the half in terms of possession.

An early opening for Nasri but he sends a shot wide of the far post.

We begin again..

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2011/1127/vincentkompanycelebvlfc20111127_275x155.jpg"><br> Kompany toasts his opener

For those who missed it earlier, here is <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/989128/wales-boss-gary-speed-dies-aged-42?cc=5739" target="_blank">our story about the tragic death of Gary Speed</a>, that was confirmed earlier.

<b>HALF TIME</b> Excellent interchange between Silva and Aguero - the striker collects a return pass and gets an effort on goal but the angle was tight and Reina had his near post covered. And that is half time, a good 45 minutes.

It all gets a bit too tight for City on the left as they are crowded out by a gaggle of red shirts.

Neat skill from Aguero as he flicks the ball past Skrtel and wins a free kick wide left.

Anfield screams for a foul after a good challenge from Kompany on Adam, then Henderson gets a chance to shoot but Lescott blocks.

The game has rather calmed down after a frantic 15-minute spell.

An opening for Toure from 30 yards but his skews his shot wide.

Now a quality effort from Johnson as he gets to the corner of the box and curls an effort narrowly wide of the far post.

The corner drops to the back post, finding Suarez unmarked, but his effort is poor by his standards and flails over the bar.

Superb save from Hart after Suarez released Kuyt, he spun in the box, squared it for Adam and only Hart's outstretched leg prevents Liverpool going in front.

A great run from Enrique but a wayward pass at the end of it, a dink into Suarez who had ran past it by the time it left his boot.

The game is getting spicy now as Richards goes to ground easily under a nudge from Downing. Adam not happy about it.

Now Suarez has time to run at Kompany and is tackled superbly. Still the striker beats the turf, clearly thinking it was a foul. He's wrong.

A huge slice of luck for Liverpool as Adam's strike is scuffed and heading wide before Lescott sticks out a leg and diverts it past the scrambling Hart.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> Adam equalises with a deflected shot!

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Barry is booked straight from the restart for a foul on Lucas and will now miss the Carling Cup tie with Arsenal midweek.

Silva flashes it near post and Kompany flicks it into the far corner. No-one on the post.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> Kompany scores!

Now Silva wins a corner off Jose Enrique.

A poor ball from Henderson as Suarez found some space in between Kompany and Lescott.

The corner is taken short to Adam but Toure nods clear his cross. Milner gets the ball on the right and crosses to no one in particular. Perhaps he forgot Dzeko isn't playing.

Downing isn't getting much change out of Richards so far, but he does win a free kick now. Clichy clears at the back post before Liverpool win a corner.

The Lescott/Suarez battle continues in earnest. The Uruguayan seems determined to go down at any semblance of contact. He wins a free kick this time.

City win a free kick as Silva is fouled - he delivers it and picks up the clearance to fire a shot high and wide.

Super move from City, Clichy to Aguero, to Silva, out wide to Nasri and a cross that is just behind Aguero, who had made his way into the box.

Aguero runs down the left channel again but is flagged offside this time. Milner and Nasri were not impressed he fluffed that previous chance.

Aguero pays the price for trying to be far too clever after Barry looked to have fouled Adam. The striker is released by Milner, cuts onto his left but then tries to delay further before swiping fresh air as the ball rolled out for a goal kick.

Replays show that Reina got to the ball first when he tackled Aguero, then it rebounded onto his leg, then the top of his arm. Quite rightly not given.

Suarez is on at the referee again after robbing Lescott of the ball. He fed Henderson, then tried to get into the box but fell over the defender and claimed a foul.

Aguero goes through but Reina rushes out and dives at the striker's feet - suspicion of handball but the referee gives nothing.

Liverpool coming into it more now and the crowd warming to the task too.

A lung-busting run from Johnson down the right but an errant touch takes the ball out of play before he can cross.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Liverpool get out of jail - Silva slides a pass into Milner, Johnson and Skrtel converge and the ball runs to Aguero but Agger tidies up. Then Kompany clips Suarez and is carded.

A loose pass from Adam as Toure had miscontrolled a long punt from Agger.

Lescott muscles Suarez out of the way but the Uruguayan is not happy he didn't get a free kick. Not sure why. Then he gets hold of the ball and tries to pick out Downing with a long cross but overhits it ever so slightly.

Another corner for City as Milner goes to the byline, tracked by Downing.

Not much in the way of numbers for Liverpool when they go forward - they look too concerned in shackling City.

Strong start from City. Liverpool struggling to keep hold of the ball. Haven't really got deep into City's half yet.

Panic in the box as Kompany hooks the corner on, Aguero knocks it back across goal and the ball is half cleared before Toure fires a half volley wide of the post.

Silva feeds Clichy this time and Johnson turns his cross behind for a corner.

Neat interchange between Silva and Nasri - Johnson does well to prevent a corner.

Kompany goes in strongly on Suarez, much to the disgust of the home support. He took the ball but looked like he took the man first.

Predictably frenetic start with possession changing hands regularly. Liverpool with five in midfield.

Decent stat: Liverpool were the last team to stop Man City from scoring in the Premier League. Since then City have scored 52 in 18 games.

<b>KICK OFF</b>

A minute's silence at Anfield both for Gary Speed and Brad Jones' young son, who recently died of leukemia.

After Newcastle held Manchester United to a draw yesterday, City go go seven points clear at the top iof they win today. Liverpool can pull level with Chelsea in fifth.

Roberto Mancini makes five changes to the team that lost 2-1 to Napoli in the Champions League with Micah Richards, Gael Clichy, Gareth Barry, Samir Nasri and Sergio Aguero all returning.

As for the football, Craig Bellamy has been withdrawan from Liverpool's squad due to Speed's death, as they were very close. Maxi is also out while Henderson and Downing come in.

Here is a <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story/_/id/725564/premier-league-heroes:-gary-speed?cc=5739" target="_blank">profile of Gary Speed</a> written by Mark Lomas and <a href="http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/gallery/123627.html" target="_blank">a look back at his career in pictures</a>.

News of his death has prompted an outpouring of grief from figures within the game who played with him, against him, managed him and knew him. <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/989164/robbie-savage-%27devastated%27-at-death-of-gary-speed?cc=5739" target="_blank">Here are a selection of those tributes</a>.

Of course, today's football has been overshadowed by the tragic death of Gary Speed, the Wales manager, at 42 years of age. It was confirmed this morning that he had taken his own life.

Hello everyone and welcome to live coverage of Manchester CIty's trip to Liverpool.

Suarez causing havoc in the area as he collects the corner at the back post, gets to the line and lays it across, Lescott's first clearance hits Kuyt, bounces up and allows the defender to hack clear.

Johnson takes on Clichy but the left back stays firm to block his cross and concede a corner. 12 in the game so far.

Suarez gets a free kick off Kompany, to ironic cheers all round.

Comedy of errors as Silva's pass forces a slip from Skrtel, Balotelli in his haste to profit also slips. Laughs all round.

Tough to pick a winner at this stage.

Balotelli muscles Agger into a mistake and Aguero nearly latches onto his loose touch in the area before Reina hoofs clear.

The corner is taken short and clipped to Downing on the box edge, he hits his volley into the ground but it looks like it was dipping under the bar before he flicks over.

Suarez gives Kompany a taste of his own medicine and wins a corner after a good pyhsical battle.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Nasri goes off and Balotelli is on.

Downing's cross flies over Suarez but for some reason Hart dives to punch it clear. Entirely unnecessary but he's got away with it.

Excellent game now - things are getting stretched.

Drama at both ends as Suarez goes down holding his head after a tackle with Kompany, then Aguero gets onto a ball over the top but Reina is out to take him away from goal, then tackle him five yards outside his penalty area on the left flank.

Clichy heads forward as City clear the corner and he tries to clip a ball in behind Johnson for Aguero but the defender is wise to it.

Handball given against Milner when it clearly hit his shoulder. Poor decision by the assistant. Liverpool pour forward and win a corner.

Fantastic cross from Clichy as he was found by Toure - right along the six-yard box and Enrique clears at the far post.

Adam does well to pinch the ball and feeds Kuyt, but he passes to Henderson even though everyone could see he was two yards offside. Not Kuyt's best game, it has to be said.

City more and more on top as the game goes on, but Liverpool still looking threatening on the counter.

Richards is down after a meaty challenge with Enrique but Liverpool press on, Lescott clears Downing's cross and now the City man can get treatment. Looks like Aguero took a blow in the face from a stray Agger arm too. They're all in the wars.

Poor effort from Kuyt as Downing's cross diverted off Kompany into his path, he ducked his head too early and dribbles the ball wide. Should have done much better.

Toure tries to feed a ball through the back line to Aguero, but he was offside and couldn't reach the ball before Reina anyway.

Still quite an open feel to the game, despite the numbers Liverpool are getting behind the ball when City have popssession.

Chances for Liverpool, a cross falls to Henderson, who shuns a first time effort to knock it back for Adam, his shot is blocked and though Suarez jogs on to the loose ball at the byline his cross is blocked.

Slightly risky football from Lucas as he turns Toure in his own penalty area before coming away with the ball. Sloppy start to the half in terms of possession.

An early opening for Nasri but he sends a shot wide of the far post.

We begin again..

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2011/1127/vincentkompanycelebvlfc20111127_275x155.jpg"><br> Kompany toasts his opener

For those who missed it earlier, here is <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/989128/wales-boss-gary-speed-dies-aged-42?cc=5739" target="_blank">our story about the tragic death of Gary Speed</a>, that was confirmed earlier.

<b>HALF TIME</b> Excellent interchange between Silva and Aguero - the striker collects a return pass and gets an effort on goal but the angle was tight and Reina had his near post covered. And that is half time, a good 45 minutes.

It all gets a bit too tight for City on the left as they are crowded out by a gaggle of red shirts.

Neat skill from Aguero as he flicks the ball past Skrtel and wins a free kick wide left.

Anfield screams for a foul after a good challenge from Kompany on Adam, then Henderson gets a chance to shoot but Lescott blocks.

The game has rather calmed down after a frantic 15-minute spell.

An opening for Toure from 30 yards but his skews his shot wide.

Now a quality effort from Johnson as he gets to the corner of the box and curls an effort narrowly wide of the far post.

The corner drops to the back post, finding Suarez unmarked, but his effort is poor by his standards and flails over the bar.

Superb save from Hart after Suarez released Kuyt, he spun in the box, squared it for Adam and only Hart's outstretched leg prevents Liverpool going in front.

A great run from Enrique but a wayward pass at the end of it, a dink into Suarez who had ran past it by the time it left his boot.

The game is getting spicy now as Richards goes to ground easily under a nudge from Downing. Adam not happy about it.

Now Suarez has time to run at Kompany and is tackled superbly. Still the striker beats the turf, clearly thinking it was a foul. He's wrong.

A huge slice of luck for Liverpool as Adam's strike is scuffed and heading wide before Lescott sticks out a leg and diverts it past the scrambling Hart.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> Adam equalises with a deflected shot!

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Barry is booked straight from the restart for a foul on Lucas and will now miss the Carling Cup tie with Arsenal midweek.

Silva flashes it near post and Kompany flicks it into the far corner. No-one on the post.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> Kompany scores!

Now Silva wins a corner off Jose Enrique.

A poor ball from Henderson as Suarez found some space in between Kompany and Lescott.

The corner is taken short to Adam but Toure nods clear his cross. Milner gets the ball on the right and crosses to no one in particular. Perhaps he forgot Dzeko isn't playing.

Downing isn't getting much change out of Richards so far, but he does win a free kick now. Clichy clears at the back post before Liverpool win a corner.

The Lescott/Suarez battle continues in earnest. The Uruguayan seems determined to go down at any semblance of contact. He wins a free kick this time.

City win a free kick as Silva is fouled - he delivers it and picks up the clearance to fire a shot high and wide.

Super move from City, Clichy to Aguero, to Silva, out wide to Nasri and a cross that is just behind Aguero, who had made his way into the box.

Aguero runs down the left channel again but is flagged offside this time. Milner and Nasri were not impressed he fluffed that previous chance.

Aguero pays the price for trying to be far too clever after Barry looked to have fouled Adam. The striker is released by Milner, cuts onto his left but then tries to delay further before swiping fresh air as the ball rolled out for a goal kick.

Replays show that Reina got to the ball first when he tackled Aguero, then it rebounded onto his leg, then the top of his arm. Quite rightly not given.

Suarez is on at the referee again after robbing Lescott of the ball. He fed Henderson, then tried to get into the box but fell over the defender and claimed a foul.

Aguero goes through but Reina rushes out and dives at the striker's feet - suspicion of handball but the referee gives nothing.

Liverpool coming into it more now and the crowd warming to the task too.

A lung-busting run from Johnson down the right but an errant touch takes the ball out of play before he can cross.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Liverpool get out of jail - Silva slides a pass into Milner, Johnson and Skrtel converge and the ball runs to Aguero but Agger tidies up. Then Kompany clips Suarez and is carded.

A loose pass from Adam as Toure had miscontrolled a long punt from Agger.

Lescott muscles Suarez out of the way but the Uruguayan is not happy he didn't get a free kick. Not sure why. Then he gets hold of the ball and tries to pick out Downing with a long cross but overhits it ever so slightly.

Another corner for City as Milner goes to the byline, tracked by Downing.

Not much in the way of numbers for Liverpool when they go forward - they look too concerned in shackling City.

Strong start from City. Liverpool struggling to keep hold of the ball. Haven't really got deep into City's half yet.

Panic in the box as Kompany hooks the corner on, Aguero knocks it back across goal and the ball is half cleared before Toure fires a half volley wide of the post.

Silva feeds Clichy this time and Johnson turns his cross behind for a corner.

Neat interchange between Silva and Nasri - Johnson does well to prevent a corner.

Kompany goes in strongly on Suarez, much to the disgust of the home support. He took the ball but looked like he took the man first.

Predictably frenetic start with possession changing hands regularly. Liverpool with five in midfield.

Decent stat: Liverpool were the last team to stop Man City from scoring in the Premier League. Since then City have scored 52 in 18 games.

<b>KICK OFF</b>

A minute's silence at Anfield both for Gary Speed and Brad Jones' young son, who recently died of leukemia.

After Newcastle held Manchester United to a draw yesterday, City go go seven points clear at the top iof they win today. Liverpool can pull level with Chelsea in fifth.

Roberto Mancini makes five changes to the team that lost 2-1 to Napoli in the Champions League with Micah Richards, Gael Clichy, Gareth Barry, Samir Nasri and Sergio Aguero all returning.

As for the football, Craig Bellamy has been withdrawan from Liverpool's squad due to Speed's death, as they were very close. Maxi is also out while Henderson and Downing come in.

Here is a <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story/_/id/725564/premier-league-heroes:-gary-speed?cc=5739" target="_blank">profile of Gary Speed</a> written by Mark Lomas and <a href="http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/gallery/123627.html" target="_blank">a look back at his career in pictures</a>.

News of his death has prompted an outpouring of grief from figures within the game who played with him, against him, managed him and knew him. <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/989164/robbie-savage-%27devastated%27-at-death-of-gary-speed?cc=5739" target="_blank">Here are a selection of those tributes</a>.

Of course, today's football has been overshadowed by the tragic death of Gary Speed, the Wales manager, at 42 years of age. It was confirmed this morning that he had taken his own life.

Hello everyone and welcome to live coverage of Manchester CIty's trip to Liverpool.