This was not so much a drawn game as one which neither side was capable of winning. The failure says everything about two confused teams who veered so erratically through the afternoon that they did not know whether to be happy or angry with the point. For Manchester City, their run without a win now extends to 11 matches but it could have been a whole lot worse, given that they were trailing two minutes into injury time. Robbie Fowler’s late, late prod was his first goal against his hometown club and the City fans who had not already departed found their frustration turning to muted cries of relief. From Gérard Houllier, there were equally conflicting emotions. “I could have taken everybody off at half-time,” the Liverpool manager said, but a header from Vladimir Smicer and a wonderful, dipping volley from Dietmar Hamann appeared to have transformed an insipid first-half display into victory. Then came the finish from Fowler that left Liverpool still four points behind Charlton Athletic and the coveted fourth place in the Premiership.
Matt Dickinson, Times
Fowler's late strike denies Liverpool victory
Manchester City's season, which promised so much that the words "Champions' League" were being mentioned, is beginning to look as tatty and forlorn as torn and discarded Christmas wrapping paper. Much more of this and the bottom three will beckon. This result means City have gone 11 matches without a win and have picked up just three Premiership points from their last 24. The really worrying thing, though, is that it is difficult to imagine them playing much better than they did for much of yesterday, yet they still needed a goal with virtually the game's last kick from Robbie Fowler to get even a draw. For 45 minutes they pummeled Liverpool, went ahead through Nicolas Anelka's goal and then surrendered their advantage as the visitors improved from the dreadful to the adequate, picking up goals from Vladimir Smicer and Dietmar Hamann. But, with the points seemingly heading back to Merseyside, Fowler struck.
Guy Hodgson, Independent
Fowler has final word
Robbie Fowler has waited so long for his first league goal at this arena it is a pity there were so many empty blue seats when it arrived. The fans were heading away in droves because, City being City, Kevin Keegan's men had duped everyone. Instead of seeing out a game they should have won, City were heading towards a galling defeat. For many it was too much to bear. Those who stayed behind were rewarded for their perseverance. Jerzy Dudek beat away Nicolas Anelka's speculative shot but Trevor Sinclair was first to the rebound and sent a volley back towards goal. Loitering with intent inside the six-yard area, Fowler was perfectly positioned to apply the finishing touch. It was the third minute of injury-time. In equalising the man Liverpool's fans used to call "God" emulated Anelka in scoring against his former club but, more importantly, spared Keegan a familiar post mortem. Out-passing teams without out-scoring them has been a trait of the downward spiral that has taken City within two points of the relegation zone. They have now gone 11 matches without a win and, though managers have been sacked for less, it would have been a travesty if City had lost, having outclassed a one-paced, one-dimensional Liverpool for so long.
