Thiago Alcantara stunned Darren Ambrose as the Liverpool star ‘dominated’ Manchester City at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final, speaking on Sky Sports News (16/4, 16:15).
The Anfield natives put on a show to stun their Premier League title rivals in the capital in a scintillating first-half performance. Ibrahima Konate broke the deadlock after nine minutes before a Sadio Mane double sent Pep Guardiola back to the drawing board at the break.
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Straight from kick-off, the Merseyside outfit harried the Etihad Stadium natives to impose themselves and win most of the challenges. The Sky Blues rarely had time to reset as the Reds ramped up the pressure and the score, with Thiago pulling the strings in the centre.
Thiago had not started any of Liverpool’s FA Cup ties on route to Saturday’s semi-final with Manchester City. Jurgen Klopp only played his £20m arrival from Bayern Munich in 2020 as a substitute in the fourth-round against Cardiff and quarter-final tie at Nottingham Forest.
The Spaniard has also only started 13 of 19 Premier League and four of seven Champions League outings this season. Additionally, he travelled down to London with two goals and two assists over his 28 appearances across all competitions before facing Guardiola’s side.
Thiago assist ‘fantastic’ as Liverpool ace ‘dominated’ Man City, says Ambrose
Thiago gave his third assist so far this term in spectacular style to find Mane for Liverpool’s third goal against Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final. The 31-year-old failed to offer any during his maiden campaign on Merseyside last season, while scoring just one goal.
Yet his connection with Trent Alexander-Arnold and pass to feed Mane stunned Ambrose.
“Thiago is controlling midfield,” Ambrose said. “And it’s a fantastic goal, an unbelievable goal. Thiago’s got the ball, put a fantastic linked ball – he’s dominated the game – and he’s dinked it to Mane, who’s hit it on the right-foot volley into the near-post bottom corner.
“Man City look like they’re running out of ideas. Thiago played a lovely one-two, around the corner, past Jack Grealish and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s up there, dinked a 10-yard pass to Mane who’s let it come across his body, hit it on the volley and Steffen’s had no chance.”
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