BETWEEN them, Manchester City and Liverpool have had one thousand, two hundred and twenty-five shots in the Premier League this season. A true aficionado would go through every one of them but football moves too fast for that these days so here’s a curated selection of ones that made some difference in this, the title race of title races.
Liverpool shots 1-3 (Mane, Fimino, Salah vs West Ham, Aug 12)
It took Liverpool 17 minutes to have a shot in their first Premier League outing of the season but then in the space of two minutes, the gigantic three, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, all had efforts, the last of which ended in the back of the net. As we head into the final weekend of the season, Salah looks like he will be the Premier League golden boot for the second season in a row. He’s got eight assists as well. That PFA Team of the Year bench looks strong.
Sergio Aguero’s 14 Goals In His Last 8 Home Games
1️⃣ vs West Brom ⚽️
1️⃣ vs Watford ⚽️
2️⃣ vs Bournemouth ⚽️⚽️
3️⃣ vs Huddersfield ⚽️⚽️
3️⃣ vs Newcastle ⚽️⚽️⚽️
4️⃣ vs Leicester ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️#MCFC #FPL pic.twitter.com/au2UmfFOuw— Premier League Stat Man ⚽️ (@EPLStatman) August 19, 2018
Manchester City shot 24 (Aguero vs Huddersfield, Aug 19)
There were subtle signs it wasn’t going to be a vintage season for Huddersfield when they got spanked 6-1 at the Etihad in the second week, and City’s first goal after 25 minutes was assisted by goalkeeper Ederson, a man who enters the final weekend of the season with a pass completion of 82%, considerably higher than Huddersfield themselves (76%)
Liverpool shot 108 (Sturridge vs Chelsea, Sep 29)
Liverpool had won six out of six in the league when they travelled to Stamford Bridge in late September, but, with time running out, Chelsea were painfully close to a big win for new manager Maurizio Sarri, before Daniel Sturridge lashed home from 29 yards to save at least a point for the Reds. Later in the season, Divock Origi would become Liverpool’s substitute deluxe but Sturridge’s autumnal contribution shouldn’t be forgotten.
BREAKING: Riyad Mahrez’s penalty has finally landed. pic.twitter.com/gHbfoBzLj0
— Not Match of the Day (@NOT_MOTD) October 8, 2018
Manchester City shot 174 (Mahrez vs Liverpool, Oct 7)
In sight of a first Premier League win at Anfield since 2003, after Virgil van Dijk’s foul on Leroy Sane had handed them a penalty, Manchester City handed spot-kick duties to Riyad Mahrez. The Algerian has many attributes but he also has the second worst penalty conversion rate in Premier League behind Juan Pablo Angel (of players to take 10 or more) and lo and behold, the ball did sail into the Anfield Road stand.
Liverpool shot 205 (Origi vs Everton, Dec 2)
The asteroid that ended the dinosaurs had been hurtling towards Earth for a long time and there was nothing anyone could do about it. It was a similar story with Virgil van Dijk’s shanked shot that descended towards Jordan Pickford for what seemed like hours but was in fact only minutes. As the Everton ‘keeper wristed it back into play, Divock Origi, in his first cameo of the season, nodded home to give Liverpool an underserved but very important win.
Look at the shadow of the ball #MCILIV pic.twitter.com/GMgxUvsDKw
— Sal Ahmad (@SalAhmad) January 3, 2019
Liverpool shot 316 (Mane vs Manchester City, Jan 3)
Unless you’re an ant, 1.12cm is not a chasm, but it was enough to prevent Liverpool taking the lead at Manchester City in January after Sadio Mane’s shot had been cleared by John Stones into Ederson and back towards the goal. City rallied and Sergio Aguero continued the maths learning scheme by scoring from an angle so tight the linesman needed a protractor before Leroy Sane sealed arguably the most crucial win of the season after Roberto Firmino had equalised. Had Liverpool taken the lead through Mane, they may well be champions already.
Manchester City shots 450 and 451 (Aguero x2 vs Chelsea, Feb 10)
Sergio Aguero decided to mock the Expected Goals Gods as City thumped Chelsea 6-0 at the Etihad. On 07:32 he decided to miss a gilt-edged chance from 3.2 yards with an xG value of 41%, only to bang one home on 12:29 from 28.9 yards with an xG of 3%. When you’re Sergio Aguero you make your own rules, especially on a day when you equal Alan Shearer’s Premier League hat-trick record.
Liverpool shot 420 (Salah vs Everton, Mar 3)
It doesn’t seem entirely realistic but the last time that either Liverpool or Manchester City dropped any points in a Premier League game was early March (City haven’t dropped any since January). Even so, Liverpool’s 0-0 draw at Goodison Park is technically the result that means they are one point behind Guardiola’s men with one game to go, rather than one point ahead. Their best chance of the game fell to Mohamed Salah in the 28th minute; on xG it was the 16th best opportunity he’s had all season, but it didn’t go in and Liverpool drew their seventh game of the campaign. The cruellest draw of them all.
Liverpool shot 506 (Salah vs Chelsea, Apr 14)
“Shit, did you see that? He must have a foot like a traction engine”
Liverpool shot 562 (Origi vs Newcastle, May 4)
Liverpool, drawing at Newcastle like some sort of Alan Sugar theory, need a goal from someone, anyone, to take the title battle to the final day of the season. Step up that man Divock Origi to kick off his holy week by nodding past Martin Dubravka in the 86th minute. 94 points. Second place. Goodness me.
A screamer from every angle courtesy of #TrueView 360 technology!
@vincentkompany
#mancity pic.twitter.com/bcCdAQo2Rg— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 9, 2019
Manchester City shot 662 (Kompany vs Leicester, May 6)
Vincent Kompany strides forward, shapes to shoot, moves the ball on a bit more, hits it. HITS IT. His 37th shot from outside the box in the Premier League. The first time one of them has gone in. His first shot on target from outside the box since 2013. City only have one more shot in the remaining 20+ minutes of the game. They don’t need to. They’ve won the match. They’ve probably won the league.
