Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne missed a potential match-winning penalty as Pep Guardiola's side was held to a 1-1 draw at home by Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday.
Both goals, a Mohamed Salah spot-kick for Liverpool and a fine turn and finish from Gabriel Jesus for City, and the missed penalty came in a pulsating opening 45 minutes in which the last two league champions produced some exciting football.
Yet the quality and entertainment faded badly after the break. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will be the happier with the result, given his side had lost its last three visits to the Etihad stadium in the league and it retains a five-point advantage over City.
Klopp answered the question of whether to replace Roberto Firmino with the in-form Diogo Jota by picking both players in a very attacking lineup and unsurprisingly his side began positively.
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The visitors took the lead in the 13th minute when Sadio Mane turned sharply in the box and went down after contact from Kyle Walker and Salah converted the spot-kick.
An even better turn produced City's equaliser in the 31st minute when De Bruyne found Jesus in the box and the Brazilian's superb twist set him free of Trent Alexander-Arnold and earned him just enough space to poke past Alisson.
City then wasted an opportunity to take the lead, three minutes before the interval, when De Bruyne missed a penalty -- awarded after his cross struck the arm of Joe Gomez and referee Craig Pawson gave the spot-kick after checking the pitchside monitor.
Yet the excitement of the opening 45 minutes was not replicated after the break as City gained greater control but struggled to create real openings.
Ederson did well to save from Jota at the near post and at the other end Jesus was off-target after being found unmarked in the box by Joao Cancelo. Liverpool is third on 17 points after eight games with 11th-placed City on 12, having played a game fewer.
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