Liverpool vs. Manchester City

Yossi Benayoun rescued a point for Liverpool as Manchester City secured their sixth successive draw.

Manchester City had been ahead deep into the second period before Benayoun's close-range intervention.

Liverpool took the lead when Martin Skrtel converted Steven Gerrard's free-kick early in the second half. Emmanuel Adebayor's header and Stephen Ireland's clever close-range flick put City ahead before Benayoun forced home the equaliser.

The afternoon started badly for the stuttering Reds, with centre-back Daniel Agger stretchered off with a head injury just 11 minutes in, and Ryan Babel leaving seven minutes later with an ankle problem.

The opening 45 minutes were tight with chances at a premium at both ends, but the game burst into life after the break.

Liverpool produced the lift the game needed with a goal after 49 minutes.

Pablo Zabaleta had given away a needless free-kick for holding Ngog on the left, and when Gerrard swung the set-play into the box, Skrtel was there first in front of Adebayor to stab home from six yards.

City needed to up their game now, and with the fire-power of Tevez and Roque Santa Cruz on the bench, they certainly had the ammunition.

It was Adebayor though who atoned for the earlier error on 68 minutes - making no mistake with a free header from a Craig Bellamy corner.

Suddenly, after 75 turgid minutes, the game sprang to life. Within 120 seconds, Stephen Ireland had given City the lead, tapping home after substitute Carlos Tévez set Wright-Phillips in, and Yossi Benayoun had wiped it out, his finish easier still after the hapless Joleon Lescott deflected David Ngog’s pass into his path.