Liverpool emerge from the Anfield tunnel first, eager to restart the match. Their opponents are a little more reluctant to reappear though, coming out a good couple of minutes after the hosts. Ex-City striker Mario Balotelli wanders out with old colleague Yaya Toure.

City to get us back up and running.

Our number-crunching friends at Opta are telling us, as we suspected, that Manchester City are shading both possession and territory after that cracker of a first half.

But it was the Reds who stuck more shots on target. Can they convert them into goals after the break?

Statisticians Opta, external on Twitter: "Sergio Aguero has been involved in five goals (three scored, two assisted) in Manchester City's last three Premier League games."

Danny Murphy
MOTD2 Extra

"I think the tempo of the game is brilliant and it is partly because Manchester City have gone with two strikers, as if to say 'we are better than you'. If it had been just one striker the tempo would be lacking."

lfcway: Chelsea come to Anfield, they park the bus. Manchester City come to Anfield, attack attack. That's why I'd rather see City win the league.

RougeMen:EF: Joe Allen has been playing like the Welsh Xavi out there today, better late than never.

Blake keeble: Liverpool are going to be worn out come 60-70 minutes if they keep pressing like this after Thursday's game.

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Liverpool legend John Barnes receives a huge round of applause as he strolls on to the Anfield pitch at the break. No, the former winger is not coming out to warm up ahead of a second-half appearance. Barnesy is there to give some words of 'encouragement' to the blond-haired Norwegian bloke taking part in the half-time penalty competition.

Barnesy, unlike his days as a television football presenter, is a natural on the microphone. Any chance of a rendition of the 'World in Motion' rap, John? Please? Nope. But he does stick a left-footed penalty past the stranded keeper to the delight of the Anfield crowd.

Fahd, London: Joe Allen gets way too much stick. Plenty of tackles and interceptions, 95% of his passes go straight to a teammates feet. Good, unflashy player, ridiculous to judge him on goals and assists.

Seth: Seeing Dejan Lovren on the pitch scares me more than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo combined playing against us.

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Neil Lennon
Bolton manager on MOTD2 Extra

"It has been magnificent to watch, both teams have played their part. Manchester City look really dangerous, with Sergio Aguero giving a master class in being a striker, but Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana have caused the away side all sorts of problems. There are more goals to come."

BBC Radio Manchester summariser Fred Eyre at Anfield

"It's been a great half, and 1-1 is a fair scoreline. In the first half hour City were unbalanced and Liverpool deserved their lead - Joe Allen kept picking balls out for Philippe Coutinho to carve the away side open - and we saw an excellent exhibition of football. David Silva then came off his perch on the left and out into the middle, he got hold of the ball a bit more and his contribution towards carving out a goal changed the game. It's been pulsating."

Image source, AFP

In fact, the last action of the half sees City midfielder Yaya Toure give away possession when skulking around the edge of the Liverpool penalty area.

Referee Mark Clattenburg looks at his watch then gives a short shrill of his whistle. That's the break.

More uncertainty from the City defence as the electronic board shows there will be one minute of stoppage time. City keeper Joe Hart gathers a scuffed Raheem Sterling shot - but is furious that his England team-mate was allowed to wriggle into space there. And that should be about that.

Better from Liverpool as a pulsating first half draws to a close. Philippe Coutinho draws a routine save from Joe Hart, before the Reds waste a corner.

Gary Lineker
Match of the Day presenter

Both sides playing a high line despite no pressure on the player in possession. Nonsensical, especially given the modern offside laws.

A lull in what has been a frantic first half. Then, City try to take advantage of a high Liverpool defensive line with three piercing throughballs towards Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero. But the pair are caught offside on each occasion. Risky tactic from the home side....

BBC Radio Manchester summariser Fred Eyre at Anfield

"The game is being played at a vicious pace. Manchester City didn't deserve their goal after being hounded and pounded by Liverpool early on but they're looking tons better now. It's a different game now David Silva has come in from where he started on the left."

A heart-in the-mouth moment for Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet, who has been impressive in recent weeks after drawing plenty of criticism earlier in the season. The Belgian races off his line to claim a high ball pumped in from deep, but he almost overshoots the penalty area before holding his position to gather.

Stefan Rice: This fixture never fails to disappoint, two teams perfectly displaying how attacking football should be played.

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Image source, PA

Premier League champions City look pretty menacing when they spring forward - but then they leave themselves badly exposed at the back.

Lazar Markovic's nifty lob takes out three-quarters of the City defence, giving Adam Lallana sight of the Blues goal. But the Reds midfielder hurries his low, angled drive and the ball scuttles out for a goal kick.

Danny Murphy reckons this match could end in any scoreline (see below). I'll take a 5-5 draw please, Danny.

But Edin Dzeko, who finished a wonderfully-crafted move for City's equaliser, will need to be more accurate than his latest attempt if that is going to happen.

The Bosnian skies one into the Kop when well-placed inside the Reds area, then has the cheek to claim it took a deflection. Referee Mark Clattenburg is not buying that.