Riyad Mahrez missed a penalty as Liverpool held Manchester City to a goalless draw.

With both sides neck-and-neck in the Premier League table, Sunday afternoon’s Anfield encounter had been heavily billed as a potential early title decider.

Injury to James Milner forced Jurgen Klopp’s hand early in the first half as he sent Naby Keita, just days after his own injury the midweek defeat to Napoli.

City had a perfect chance for a first victory on Merseyside since 2003 when Virgil van Dijk hauled down Leroy Sane only for Mahrez to blaze the ensuing spot kick.

Here were the key talking points from Anfield:

City get street-smart on Anfield Road

 

Pep Guardiola has already been once bitten and twice shy at Anfield. A third time around proved to be a charm for the Manchester City manager.

The reigning Premier League champions suffered chastening away defeats to Liverpool both on the home front and in a Champions League quarter-final.

Little wonder, then, that Guardiola opted for a slight change in approach, with the visitors reluctant to attack Jurgen Klopp’s side as they did in two prior visits.

For all the talk of this being a potential title decider, City were far more cagey than they are usually carefree; wary of falling into the Reds’ well-laid trap.

Becoming street-smart on his side’s latest visit to Anfield Road was possibly the biggest compliment that Guardiola could have paid to his opposite number.

Alisson saves the Reds

 

He had already won hearts and minds, but Alisson Becker now has points to match.

But for the heroics of their adventurous yet dependable goalkeeper, Liverpool’s showdown with City could have been turned on its head very easily.

Horrendous penalty miss aside, Riyad Mahrez proved a regular thorn in their side throughout the second half but met his match in the form of Alisson.

The Brazil goalkeeper repelled City’s record signing at every turn and only the latter’s flat-footed attempt from 12 yards out appeared capable

Anfield’s long-serving PA is notorious for having an innate sense of occasion, and blaring out The Pixies’ namesake track on the final whistle spoke volumes.

Birthday benching backfires

 

There will have been far better birthdays than this for Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Newly turned 20, the right-back’s present was to watch Joe Gomez favoured in his right-back position in attempts to nullify Leroy Sane’s likely inclusion.

Alexander-Arnold’s absence did not exactly come back to haunt Klopp but it similarly failed to vindicate him, either, as Sane started on the substitutes’ bench.

Gomez’s positional shift came at a cost of Liverpool lacking creativity in a position where his teammate has taken on a starring role as a marauding full-back.

Although the England international pushed forward after the interval, he still lacked attributes which make Alexander-Arnold an otherwise guaranteed starter.

Front three – not just Salah – need to fire

 

Tempting though some may find it to level a lack of goal-scoring woes at Mohamed Salah’s feet, Liverpool are far from a one-man team.

As the Egyptian continues to find himself under intense scrutiny, his supporting cast in a once prolific forward line are enjoying a relatively free ride.

Roberto Firmino struggled before his withdrawal in favour of Daniel Sturridge’s introduction while Sadio Mane’s toil failed to mask his shortcomings in finesse.

It is a far cry from a triumvirate that had plundered 100 goals since the start of last season. Maybe Salah isn’t the only supposed ‘one-season wonder’.