Hughes looks to finish on a high

Liverpool 1, Man City 1

THE intense rivalry hardly makes them the best of neighbours, but Manchester City’s draw at Liverpool yesterday did United a favour as it effectively handed the Premier League title to the Old Trafford side.

It was a must-win match for Liverpool, who had been hanging on to United’s shirt tails. And their failure to beat City means they are seven points adrift of Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.

Had Liverpool triumphed it would still have been a big ask. Now it will take a monumental collapse to stop United from equalling Liverpool’s record of 18 league titles.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez refuses to concede defeat in the title race, though he described the failure to beat City as a “bad result.”

Benitez reckons Liverpool must beat Middlesbrough and Sunderland in their next two fixtures and then win at Old Trafford to remain in with a shout.

“Clearly it is not going to be easy but, with 12 games left, you cannot say anything is finished,” said Benitez.

City manager Mark Hughes added it would take United to slip up to allow Liverpool back into the title race.

“United don’t do that very often and it is not in Liverpool’s hands which they would prefer it to be,” he explained.

Hughes, by contrast to the disappointment of Benitez, was delighted by his side’s performance as they could easily have emerged the victors against a Liverpool side which lacked a creative spark in the absence of Steve Gerrard and Xabi Alonso.

Hughes, who is looking for a strong end to the season and a top-half finish, said: “It was an excellent performance and I thought there was drive and purpose to what we did against a team which is going for the title.

“We were good value for our goal and their equaliser came when we were in control of the game.

“We are disappointed not to have won the three points because the level of our performance merited that, and a draw was the least we deserved.”

City, who had won only once at Anfield since 1981, more than matched Liverpool in the goalless opening half in which the hosts never troubled keeper Shay Given.

There was an eerie quiet at Anfield as though there was an air of resignation that the title will be staying at Old Trafford for a third successive year.

And that didn’t improve early in the second half when Liverpool old-boy Craig Bellamy fired City ahead with his third goal following his £14million January move from West Ham.

Robinho and Vincent Kompany combined to set up Bellamy whose shot from the edge of the penalty area was deflected off Alvaro Arbeloa past keeper Pepe Reina.

City remained the more dangerous side as Nigel de Jong curled an effort narrowly wide, Stephen Ireland had a goal chalked out for offside and Robinho’s free kick was deflected past an upright for a corner.

Liverpool’s 78th minute equaliser had an element of good fortune as Fernando Torres scuffed a shot at goal from Yossi Benayoun’s low cross from the left.

The ball could have gone anywhere but fell invitingly at the feet of Dirk Kuyt to stab home from close range.

City had to survive three anxious moments when Given beat out fiercely-struck drives from Dutchman Kuyt and Israeli Benayoun while Kuyt’s angled drive flew just wide of a post.