Without Erling Haaland, Manchester City could have faced an identity crisis against Liverpool.
Would they persist with the changes they have been implementing all season to get the best out of Haaland, or revert to their more measured build-up of recent seasons? Pep Guardiola talked up Julian Alvarez's off-the-ball work, his ability to play in a front two, and his general attitude before the game - but not his form as a lone striker.
Guardiola even joked City could play three false nines instead of Alvarez, but that was an early attempt at an April Fool as Alvarez did indeed start against Liverpool. Not only did he prove he can play upfront on his own - he showed he can do exactly what Haaland has done so often this season.
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Before this game, Alvarez had started nine times without Haaland, but mostly in cup games with far less pressure. His only 90 minutes in the Premier League without Haaland came at Leicester, where he was frustrated by their low block and essentially sacrificed as City ground out a 1-0 win.
The next game saw Alvarez start again and score, but when City went down to 10, Alvarez was replaced and Haaland saved the day. Alvarez had four goals and three assists from nine without Haaland, and City only lost once, so he is hardly a poor replacement.
Still, all the talk of Alvarez has been whether he could play with Haaland rather than instead of him. He proved he can do both against Liverpool by mirroring the Haaland role and adding his own twist to the debate around City's number nine.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp insisted pre-match that it was irrelevant if Haaland played or not, because the key to stopping City was preventing the ball from reaching whoever played as striker. That tactic worked for the visitors, and Alvarez's contribution was restricted to scraps - just like Haaland's often is.
Guardiola said Haaland's injury wasn't a huge concern, but was enough to rule him out against Liverpool. Next up is Southampton, before the Champions League comes back into focus. Haaland should be recovering for Bayern Munich and the showdown against Arsenal at the end of the month, which may give Alvarez more time in the team.
But just like Haaland, Alvarez was always running, constantly closing down, and reliably on the spot to score when City carved out a wonderful break and Jack Grealish crossed for a simple finish.
In the second half, he turned on the break and sent a lovely ball towards Riyad Mahrez to carve Liverpool open. Kevin De Bruyne couldn't miss the cross, and half the team went to Mahrez to celebrate, but the goal wouldn't have happened without Alvarez.
We've seen Alvarez play a role more akin to Sergio Aguero, playing off the shoulder of the defender and finishing one-on-one. He's also played behind Haaland or in a supporting role in the pockets. Now, he's made an impact in a big game by being the main man himself.
Haaland may not be out for long, but City know that they don't need to rush him back when Alvarez can play the same role for as long as it takes for the Norwegian to recover.
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