Liverpool vs. Manchester City 2015: Final score 2-1, spectacular goals for Henderson and Coutinho

Jordan Henderson and Philippe Coutinho scored in sensational fashion to record an important win at Anfield.

The title race is looking all but over, while the race for top four couldn't be tighter after Sunday's early match. Liverpool and Manchester City put on a show, with three spectacular goals, but the Reds netted one more than their opponents in a 2-1 win.

Both defenses looked completely out of sorts early, leading to an incredibly wide-open match with big chances on both ends. But when goals finally did come, they weren't tap-ins gifted to attackers through terrible defense, but truly world class efforts instead.

Jordan Henderson netted the opener in the 11th minute with a sensational strike from distance. When he picked up the ball from Raheem Sterling 30 yards from goal, he knew what he was doing right away. Henderson hesitated just to freeze the defense before bursting into space and curling a perfect strike around Joe Hart's outstretched hand, into the top corner at the far post.

City's reply was almost instantaneous, though they didn't score with their first great effort. David Silva found Sergio Aguero with a great through ball just two minute's after Liverpool's goal, but he hit the post.

The eventual equalizer came from a great team move in the 25th minute. Yaya Toure started the attack with a direct pass to Silva, who laid off for Aguero. The Argentine drew four defenders to him before slotting a perfect pass to Edin Dzeko, who finished coolly from 12 yards.

While the first half was very even, Liverpool were the better side for most of the second half, with Henderson, Philippe Coutinho and Joe Allen putting in a stellar performance to control play in the center.

Liverpool were patient in search of their winner, but when they found it, it came via another spectacular long-range strike. Coutinho was the scorer on that occasion, and his goal might have been even better than Henderson's. From the same distance and a tighter angle, he curled a perfect shot to the top corner at the far post, just like his teammate, and Hart had no chance to make a save.

The second half was a bit cagey until this moment, but it the game got very wide-open after that, with City bringing on Wilfried Bony and committing more numbers forward.

Aguero nearly scored an equalizer in the 79th minute, shooting just wide from a narrow angle. City looked dangerous from then until the end of the match, getting the ball into Liverpool's penalty area regularly, but the Reds defended just well enough to hold off their visitors and clinch all three points.

Liverpool : Mignolet, Lovren, Skrtel, Can, Moreno (Toure 83'), Allen, Henderson, Markovic (Sturridge 76'), Lallana, Coutinho, Sterling

Goals: Henderson (11'), Coutinho (75')

Manchester City : Hart, Kolarov, Mangala, Kompany, Zabaleta, Toure, Fernandinho (Bony 78'), Silva, Aguero, Nasri (Lampard 83'), Dzeko (Milner 58')

Goals: Dzeko (25')

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