Virgil van Dijk was operating at a world-class standard against Man City, leading his side by example as Liverpool left Man City feeling like the lucky ones with a point.

With a defence that boasted two players who had never played Premier League football until this season and the ever versatile Joe Gomez, Van Dijk marshalled his backline superbly.

Jamie Carragher was one of many lining up to lavish praise on the Dutchman after the draw, saying: “I actually think Van Dijk is a better centre-back than Haaland is a striker.

“You think about the battle of the best centre-back vs the best centre forward. Virgil van Dijk came out on top.”

In a one-on-one battle with Erling Haaland in the first half, Van Dijk corralled him beautifully, and at the end of the 90 minutes, the City striker had only one touch inside Liverpool’s box.

Van Dijk was colossus, as per FotMob, he completed 77 of his 79 passes (97 percent accuracy), six of seven long balls (86 percent), won three of his four tackles, had a game-high four interceptions and won five of his eight duels.

With a commanding presence and his calm nature – exemplified by another well-though out headed clearance in the box – the Liverpool skipper led by example.

What about Endo…

With every passing game the decision to sign Wataru Endo becomes increasingly savvy, and he put on another clinic at Anfield.

Anchoring the midfield, Endo was outstanding as he helped his side dominate against this City team, with his move to jostle Kevin De Buryne off the ball a particular highlight for many.

He is constantly aware of what is around him, and this allows him to send the ball forwards instead of consistently recycling the ball at the back – he does the simple things so very well.

Statistically, his performance eared him the sixth-highest rating from FotMob (7.5-out-of-10), but Reds will certainly have viewed this performance closer to a 10:

• Completed 59 of 62 passes (95 percent) – fourth-best
• Won 6 of his 7 duels
• 6 recoveries
• 2 interceptions – joint-third best
• Created 1 chance

As a whole, Liverpool’s midfield were mightily impressive, and Alexis Mac Allister was another key cog – he was crowned FotMob’s Man of the Match.

‘Best second half we ever played against City’

Pep Guardiola likened Anfield to a “tsunami” in the second half, while Klopp hailed his side’s “best performance in the second half we ever played against Man City. We never dominated them as much.”

And the stats certainly back that up.

The Reds had an xG of 2.14 compared to City’s 0.41 in the second half, finished with 12 shots to their three, seven corners to their none, and 21 touches in the opposition box to City’s eight.

As per Opta, Liverpool’s second-half shots were the most City have faced after half time in a league game since May 2021, against Brighton.

Moreover, the Reds’ 19 shots in total was their most in a Premier League game against City since February 2013.

The Reds will know they let City get away with one and that will sting, but let’s not forget this side were missing 10 senior players and still did that to Guardiola’s side.

Richard Keys doubles down on Michael Oliver theory after Liverpool vs Man City controversy

Premier League officials have been accused of being afraid of top referee Michael Oliver by Richard Keys, and the former Sky Sports host has again returned to that assessment after the last-gasp decision at Anfield that left Jurgen Klopp perplexed

Richard Keys has claimed Premier League referee Michael Oliver is “above reproach” and VAR is a “waste of time” in games that he is officiating.

Oliver did not give Liverpool a last-gasp penalty in Sunday’s draw against Manchester City at Anfield after Jeremy Doku’s raised leg collided with the ribs of Alexis Mac Allister.

Amid the fallout, television presenter Keys has doubled down on his previous criticism of the Premier League’s top ref – suggesting that other officials fear him.

Keys posted on X: “Until someone in VAR finds the courage to tell Oliver that he’s made a mistake what we saw happen at Anfield yesterday – & most weeks elsewhere – will keep happening. I’ve said it all this season & last. He thinks he’s above reproach. VAR is a waste of time when he’s on the pitch.”

Keys would go further in his infamous online blog, writing: “What did Jurgen Klopp have for lunch if he thought Stewart Attwell was going to tell Michael Oliver he’d made a mistake? There was no chance of that happening. Zero. None. Not Sunday. Not ever. And I’ve been telling you all this for months now.

“Of course Liverpool should’ve had a late pen – but once Oliver had decided otherwise, Attwell was in a really invidious position. There was no way he was going to ask Oliver to go to the monitor.”

Last month Keys said that VAR David Coote was afraid to send Oliver to the screen during Liverpool’s win away to Brentford after Ivan Toney was challenged by Andrew Robertson inside the penalty area.

Keys wrote: “Brentford should’ve had a pen. Robertson knew it was a pen. You can see that by the way he limply kicks the ball away after clattering Toney. The only person in the ground that didn’t think it was a pen was Michael Oliver. What happened to VAR?

“David Coote went missing because he knows that Oliver is never going to accept someone he regards as inferior to him sending him to a monitor.

“Operators are scared of Oliver so they back off. We know this because Mike Dean admitted as much early in the season. Refs help their mates out and duck controversy.”

Jurgen Klopp appeals to the assistant referee vs Man City ( Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was adamant that his team should have been awarded the spot kick and was perplexed by what currently constitutes a “clear and obvious” error.

Speaking after his 30th and potentially final meeting against City boss Pep Guardiola, Klopp said: “Why would the guy in the (VAR) studio think that is not clear and obvious? What must you have for lunch if you think that is not clear and obvious?

“I’m really not angry, it’s just the situation. It’s fine. I’m so happy about the way we played today.”

In an an earlier conversation with Sky Sports, Klopp said of the decision: “This situation on all positions on the pitch is 100 per cent a foul and it’s a yellow card. [Doku] hit the ball but he could only hit the ball because his foot was right there. If the ball is not there, he kills him.”