MAN CITY 2, LIVERPOOL 3

DIRK KUYT scored his first Premier League goal since November to secure a dramatic victory for Liverpool.

The Holland striker rattled the ball home in stoppage time to stun 10-man City.

The home side had raced into a two-goal lead in the first half through Stephen Ireland and Javier Garrido.

Fernando Torres pulled a goal back before City’s Pablo Zabaleta was sent off.

The momentum was then with Liverpool with Torres adding a second before Kuyt, who was guilty of a shocking earlier miss, having the final word.

Liverpool almost went ahead as early as the fourth minute when Albert Riera got a good touch and goalkeeper Joe Hart had to look alert to turn his effort around the post.

The visitors kept up the pressure and launched a swift counter-attack in the 15th minute. Javier Mascherano, who was preferred to Robbie Keane tried to send Steven Gerrard clear.

However Shaun Wright-Phillips showed his defensive qualities to get in a crucial challenge.

Three minutes later Kuyt should have put Liverpool ahead only to sky his shot over the top in front of the post after Riera had set up the opening.

Breakthrough

City made the breakthrough a minute later thanks to Ireland’s third goal of the season.

Wright-Phillips did well to cut the ball back from the by-line but it seemed to get stuck under Robinho’s feet.

However it eventually fell to Ireland and the ever-improving midfielder rifled an unstoppable shot into the corner.

Whenever Liverpool did break forward City were defending in numbers from front to back.

Xabi Alonso tried his luck from distance in the 38th minute but Hart was equal to his effort.

City extended their lead three minutes later after Wright-Phillips was bundled over Riera, who had a spell on loan at Eastlands.

Garrido stepped up and sent a superb free-kick over a stunned Reina for his first goal for the club.

However it was game on the 56th minute with Liverpool pulling a goal back through Torres.

England midfielder Steven Gerrard, a subdued figure in the first half, began the move by releasing Alvaro Arbeloa.

He skipped to the byline before delivering a cross into the path of Torres, who scored from close range.

It was the Spain striker’s fourth goal of the league campaign and came on the back of his brace in the victory over Everton.

This was now a test of character for City, whose own form in the domestic campaign has been a little bit inconsistent.

However they hit back and Wright-Phillips skipped down the wing in the 65th minute, leaving Liverpool players trailing in his wake.

He picked out Robinho but he was unable to test Reina, his effort going over the bar.

The game took a dramatic twist in the 68th minute when City were reduced to 10 men.

Red Card

Zabaleta was sent off by referee Peter Walton for what the official deemed as a two-footed lunge on Alonso, who needed brief treatment.

Keane was introduced at the expense of Mascherano in the 72nd minute and a minute later Liverpool were level.

Torres peeled away from his marker as Gerrard swung in the corner and thumped home a header.

He had a chance of completing his hat-trick in the 82nd minute only to send his effort at the back post wide of the target.

Kuyt then secured the points in stoppage time, smashing the ball high into the net after Torres’ shot had bobbled off Dunne and into his path.