City's Balotelli sees red in Liverpool draw

Mario Balotelli was sent off as Manchester City's hopes of opening a seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League were dashed following a 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday. A rare goal by Vincent Kompany looked to have put the leaders on course for an eighth straight league win. But City manager Roberto Mancini was denied three points on his 47th birthday when Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam let fly from 30-yards, his shot taking a heavy deflection off Joleon Lescott before finding the net. Substitute Balotelli had been on the pitch for fewer than 20 minutes when he was ordered off by referee Martin Atkinson in the 83rd minute after a second yellow card. The result ended City's seven-match winning sequence in the league but the point still stretched their lead at the top of the table over nearest rivals Manchester United to five points. Liverpool, who were without Wales striker striker Craig Bellamy following the death of his international manager Gary Speed, are now without a win in their last four home games. But Kenny Dalglish's side moved up to sixth in the table after their eighth unbeaten league game. It was one of City's pre-season recruits, Sergio Aguero, who went close to breaking the deadlock in the 17th minute following an uncharacteristic error by Jose Enrique. Liverpool's Spanish full-back, who has been exceptional since joining from Newcastle in August, put Jose Reina under pressure with a poor back-pass which was seized upon by Aguero. But Reina was alert to the danger and rushed out of his area to deny Aguero with his chest as the Argentine striker threatened to score. Instead it was City captain Kompany who made the breakthrough. Dirk Kuyt was left chasing shadows as Kompany shrugged off his marker to glance David Silva's header beyond Reina - the 19th successive top-flight game City have found the opposition net. Yet their lead lasted all but two minutes as Liverpool levelled through Lescott's own-goal. The former Everton defender could only look on in horror as Adam's 30-yard attempt deflected off his body to wrong-foot England goalkeeper Joe Hart. It was a slice of good fortune for the hosts, who had started slowly but finished the half unfortunate not to be leading. Within the space of a minute, Hart denied Adam from making it 2-1 with an outstretched leg while Glen Johnson, who scored Liverpool's winner in the previous game at Chelsea, went close with a dipping effort. With the game intriguingly poised, Aguero got behind the home defence before forcing a smart save from Reina. Liverpool continued to press after the break. Kuyt headed horribly wide from a good position in the 53rd after Stewart Downing's cross had been deflected into his path by Kompany. Balotelli was introduced in the 65th minute with the instructions to fire his side to victory. But the Italian only left his side to play out the last seven minutes with 10 men after elbowing Martin Skrtel. Liverpool piled forward in the closing stages in search of a winner. But they found Hart in exceptional form, the City keeper denying Suarez and the substitute Andy Carroll while, in a dramatic finale, Silva had an effort cleared off the line by Skrtel at the other end. Earlier, Swansea drew 0-0 with Aston Villa in the day's other Premier League match.