Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images

A look back at the key moments in Liverpool’s frustrating loss to Manchester City.

Liverpool 1 - 1 Manchester City

Liverpool: Smith 41’

Manchester City: Shaw 58’, 90’+2

---

Pre-Match

The Liverpool FC Women willed their way to the first win of the season over Spurs last weekend after a couple of disappointing draws. The Reds will need to show plenty of resolve today as they are short-handed while facing a very tough Manchester City side. It is the first of three matches at Anfield this season, so there should be a good crowd on hand to support the Reds. The Liverpool women will be searching for their first win at the stadium.

There are quite a few key absences in the squad as Grace Fisk, Teagan Micah, Ceri Holland, and Sofie Lundgaard all miss out due to injury. Lundgaard had the diagnosis of a torn ACL confirmed by scans this week, and will undergo surgery soon. Along with key members missing in the squad, manager Matt Beard will not be on the sidelines today as he is ill. Assistant managers Scott Rogers and Amber Whiteley will step in for Beard.

Having only two fit senior team midfielders, Liverpool will start in a 3-4-3 formation. Maddy Duffy has been brought up from the youth squad to provide midfield depth from the bench.

First Half

Manchester City have had almost all of the ball in the early going as Liverpool look to sit in with a good defensive shape. The Reds are looking to spring counters and manage to get the ball forward to Olivia Smith in the 8th minute. Smith shows off her speed to get to the ball ahead of a defender, and then great strength to hold the defender off as she carries the ball into the box. Smith manages to get a shot off with a defender on her back, but it doesn’t have the power or placement to beat Yamashita in goal.

Liverpool are doing well to win balls in defensive areas, but are being loose with their passes as they try to play their way forward, leading to turnovers in their own half. The Reds will need to clean up some of the unforced errors before they get punished.

Jenna Clark does well to cut out a square ball from Bunny Shaw in the 6 yard box. She springs a counter, leading to a sliding tackle on Olivia Smith that puts the ball out for a throw deep in the Manchester City half. Liverpool immediately loose the ball after the throw, but there are signs they can create danger in transition.

Fuka Nagano wins the ball in the attacking half now and recycles possession to Jenna Clark. The Scottish defender quickly finds the feet of Olivia Smith, who is fouled. Marie Höbinger sends the set piece into the box and finds the head of Gemma Bonner, but the defender puts the ball over the crossbar.

The Reds stay on the front foot and quickly win the ball back. Sophie Roman Haug gathers the ball and tries a shot from distance, but she does not get a clean strike on the ball and it is easily gathered by the goalkeeper.

Danger for the Reds as Leila Ouahabi drives to the end line and cuts it back for Bunny Shaw. The Jamaican flicks the ball up towards goal, but it loops wide of the target. Rachael Laws is yelling for Taylor Hinds to leave the ball to go out for a goal kick, but the defender takes no chances and touches it behind for a corner. The ball in is a dangerous one, but Manchester City are whistled for a foul in the box.

Olivia Smith stays down after the sequence and requires treatment. She is able to walk off after a minute and returns to play after it resumes.

Lauren Hemp and Bunny Shaw combine for a 1-2, and Hemp is sent through on goal with only Laws to beat from a tight angle. Thankfully for Liverpool, Hemp toe pokes the ball past Laws but also past the far post.

Lucy Parry gets dumped on her face by Lauren Hemp, earning a foul just outside the Liverpool box. Liverpool supporters want a yellow card, but the referee deems it just a foul. Rachael Laws plays the ball left to Jasmine Matthews, who picks her head up and picks out the run of Olivia Smith. The ball over the box is a good one, forcing Yamashito to come claim the ball at the very top of her box just before Smith can get to it.

GOAL LIVERPOOL!!!! It’s a sensational effort from Olivia Smith, winning a second ball near midfield and driving forward quickly with the ball. Cornelia Kapocs makes a run ahead of her and draws a defender with her, so Smith takes another touch inside and unleashes a low rocket at the top of the D that beats Yamashita!

I big worry for Liverpool as Smith stays down after scoring the goal, looking to be in considerable pain. After a couple minutes of treatment she walks off holding her lower back. She is able to jump right back into play to the relief of the Reds.

Smith’s goal is the first WSL goal scored at Anfield by Liverpool. Now we see if the Reds can hold on for their first win in the stadium.

Liverpool see out the last few minutes of the half. The Reds have done well to stay compact defensively and limit Manchester City to just a few shots and none on target. Liverpool proved to be a problem on the counter, putting three of their four shots on target, with Smith finding the way through near the end of the half.

Second Half

Olivia Smith is not able to continue to start the second half after taking a beating in the first half. Mia Enderby comes on to kick things off in her place.

Liverpool weather an early storm from Manchester City and get a nice period of possession in the attacking half. The Reds earn three corner kicks in the span of just three minutes thanks to some good high pressing and excellent deliveries into the box. Sophie Roman Haug does well to get her head to the third set piece, but can only send her glancing header wide of the post.

Taylor Hinds picks a pass off near midfield and drives forward with the ball, twisting and turning to keep a defender at bay. She has runners in the box, but Hinds elects to take a shot from a tight angle as she enters the left side of the box and puts it into the side netting.

Liverpool again get into the attack and Taylor Hinds drives a ball into the box for Sophie Roman Haug. The Liverpool forward is bundled over as she tries to get to the ball in what looks like a clear penalty, but the referee ignores the please for a spot kick.

Goal Manchester City. It’s Bunny Shaw with a simple header from the center of the 6 yard box directly after the denied penalty claim. She’s bracketed by two Liverpool defenders, but somehow the ball finds her head. The header doesn’t have much power and bounced just in front of the line, but Rachael Laws somehow can’t get across to keep it out. Laws crashes into the post to add insult to injury.

Despite quite a few hefty challenges throughout the match, it is Marie Höbinger who goes in the book first for delaying a restart. Frustrating for that to be the first card shown.

It’s been all Manchester City since the ill-fated goal. Liverpool having to put together some fierce rearguard action to keep the score level.

Leanne Kiernan coming on as Liverpool look to find some sort of spark over the last 20 minutes of the match. The lack of Olivia Smith has been glaring when the Reds try to find an outlet to counter.

Gemma Boner is down after another string of strenuous defending. The medical staff are checking out her knee. Manchester City make a change during the break of play, but Leanne Kiernan still hasn’t come on yet. Nimah Fahey is warming up as play resumes.

Racheal Laws down in considerable pain after punching a cross clear. Bunny Shaw challenged for the ball and collided with Laws, but it was nothing malicious. With no reserve goalkeeper on the bench, Yana Daniels is now warming up as they bench gets an extra goalkeeper kit with her name on it ready. Thankfully Laws is able to continue for now.

Leanne Kiernan and Niamh Fahey come on during the break in play. Cornelia Kapocs and Gemma Bonner come off in like for like swaps.

Yikes yikes yikes yikes yikes. Liverpool defense is caught out with a simple clipped ball to Bunny Shaw. Rachael Laws comes out and manages to get something on the ball but can’t control it as the ball slips past the recovering defenders and comes off the base of the post. Liverpool manage to scramble the ball away somehow.

The referee makes a hash of a decision, somehow awarding Manchester City a corner despite the ball not coming close to a single Liverpool player. Manchester City come a whisker from scoring off the set piece but put it just wide.

Liverpool trying to hold on now. There will be 7 minutes of extra time.

Goal Manchester City. It has been coming. Bunny Shaw collects a simple through ball and shows great strength to hold of Niamh Fahey before ripping a shot past Laws.

Mia Enderby takes a blow to the head just after the restart and goes down. The referee immediately stops play so she can be seen to. She is able to walk off a minute later.

Leanne Kiernan gets to the end of a ball down the right flank but can’t keep her feet as she tries to advance past the defender.

That’s the last time Liverpool get the ball into the Manchester City half as they cannot get hold of the ball in the last few minutes. The referee blows for full time and the Reds again suffer defeat at Anfield.

Final Thoughts

For the fourth time in four seasons, Liverpool scored first but was unable to hold onto the initial lead. For the first time this season, however, it ended in defeat for the Reds.

Liverpool will look to regroup before hosting Crystal Palace at St. Helens stadium next Sunday. Hopefully some of the missing players will be able to return to action over the next week.