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30

2019 Manchester City Win The Community

7th,
August Shield After Penalty Shoot-Out

| anchester City edged out forward Raheem Sterling Liverpool hurried Roberto Gomez. The German, whose flag had already been raised.
EXAMINER MLiverpool 5-4 on penalties the first time in the 12th Firmino and Salah back into future remains the subject of and hit the frame of the goal
last season’s title rivals scored against his old club for
Liverpool turned up the heat
their side despite them only
speculation amid reports link-
twice in quick succession.
ing him with Bayern Munich,
returning to training this week
toopenthenewdomesticcampaign minute.
First Virgil Van Dijk clipped
Champions League winners
IRISH with victory in the Community Liverpool responded well and and Sadio Mane was unavail- limped off. the ball against the bar from a
Shield.
able.
The champions were not
corner and the ball bounced
went close several times before
City handed a debut to
hampered, however, taking the
The two teams were separat-
ed by just one point in the substitute Joel Matip leveled 13 record signing Rodri but record lead before Sane’s replacement onto the line and Salah then
Premier League last term and it minutes from time. goalscorer Sergio Agüero was Jesus had even taken the field. drove another effort against the
took a shoot-out to split them in Jurgen Klopp’s men almost on the bench. The ball was lofted into the area post.
the season opener at Wembley snatched victory in the dying The game still started at a and David Silva pulled back for Sterling had another chance
as it was 1-1 after 90 minutes. seconds but Kyle Walker made lively pace and City, sporting a Sterling to volley home, to double the lead but delayed
Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo a dramatic goal-line clearance retro kit to mark their 125th although the England forward’s too long and Alisson denied
made the decisive intervention, from Mohamed Salah, who did anniversary, had an early connection was not the clean- him.
saving Liverpool’s second everything but score in a hard- chance when Leroy Sane shot est. The equalizer came 13 min-
penalty from Georginio working display. into the side netting. Firmino Salah threatened an equaliz- utes from time as Van Dijk
Wijnaldum, with Gabriel Jesus The game was a fine contest tested Bravo at the other end er but dragged a shot onto a lobbed a Jordan Henderson
firing home the crucial spot- between two well-matched and Salah shot wide. post and then blasted over after free-kick back towards goal and
kick. sides, despite both having play- City suffered a blow when a poor clearance. Matip headed home.
City had led for most of nor- ers under-cooked due to limited Sane appeared to jar his knee Sterling had another effort Liverpool finished the
mal time after former Liverpool pre-season preparations. under a challenge from Joe beaten away by Alisson Becker stronger and Bravo then saved
before City boss Pep Guardiola from Naby Keita and Salah,
was shown the yellow card by who also had an effort deflected
referee Martin Atkinson for an over. Salah went close again in
angry reaction to a challenge on stoppage time but John Stones
Silva by Gomez. Guardiola may blocked and the Egyptian’s fol-
also have tested Atkinson’s low-up header was dramatically
patience by encroaching onto cleared off the line by Walker.
the field to speak to Walker dur- With no extra time, the
ing the ensuing stoppage. game had to be settled on
City went close again early penalties and Ilkay Gundogan,
in the second half when Silva Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden,
fired over and Sterling curled a Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jesus
shot against a post, although a were all on target for City. C

PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

Friday August 9th
Liverpool v Norwich City (3pm)
Saturday August 10th
AFC Bournemouth v Sheffield United
Burnley v Southampton
Crystal Palace v Everton
Leicester City v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa
Watford v Brighton & Hove Albion
West Ham United v Manchester City
Sunday August 11th
Manchester United v Chelsea (11.30am)
Newecastle United v Arsenal (9am)