Gary Lineker suggests Alisson and Micah Richards’ relationship strained by Liverpool ‘curse’, may never recover

In a humorous exchange following Saturday’s 1-1 draw between Liverpool and Manchester City, Gary Lineker playfully suggested a potential rift between a Liverpool player and Micah Richards, hinting at a tongue-in-cheek “curse” inflicted during their pre-match conversation.

The Etihad Stadium witnessed a riveting match as both teams grappled to outwit each other in a compelling tactical battle. Erling Haaland’s lightning-fast 50th Premier League goal in just 48 games gave City an early lead, setting a new record for the quickest milestone achievement in the league’s history. However, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold leveled the score ten minutes from the final whistle, ensuring the teams shared the points.

The pivotal moment arrived when Liverpool’s goalkeeper, Alisson, made a costly mistake, misdirecting a long pass intended for Mohamed Salah straight to Nathan Ake. Ake swiftly maneuvered through two Liverpool tackles before setting up Haaland for a clinical finish, beating Alisson just before the half-hour mark.

Throughout the match, Alisson appeared below his usual form and later suffered a hamstring injury in the closing moments. Gary Lineker humorously teased Micah Richards on their podcast, ‘The Rest Is Football,’ implying Richards may have inadvertently jinxed Alisson during their pre-game chat. Lineker recounted Richards praising Alisson’s one-on-one skills, only to see Haaland exploit the Liverpool goalkeeper’s vulnerability in a crucial moment. Lineker playfully insinuated that Richards, as a Manchester City ambassador, might have inadvertently affected Alisson’s performance.

Richards, quick-witted in response, retorted that it was a case of “reverse psychology.”

The draw between City and Liverpool opened the door for Arsenal to claim the top spot in the league standings. Arsenal capitalized on this opportunity, securing a late victory against their opponents, propelling them to the summit, one point ahead of City and two ahead of Liverpool.