Premier League on Betfair: Popov sees red at the Hawthorns as Gerrard and Aguero wonderstrikes light up the Etihad

Steven Gerrard's wonder goal secured all three points for Liverpool

There was yet more superb entertainment in the Premier League today, mostly at the Etihad Stadium as Man City hosted Liverpool in a rip-roaring affair.

Liverpool made the short hop across to Manchester to face Man City, a club desperate to close the gap on Man United at the top of the table. United had already emerged narrow victors at Craven Cottage against Fulham a day previously, but thanks largely to a spirited performance from the Reds, City couldn't secure the win. The gap to Manchester United now stands at a daunting nine points.

It was a pacey and encouraging start from Liverpool, whose verve and passing fluidity had City on their heels from the get-go. Daniel Sturridge had his best game so far in a Liverpool shirt and again linked up with Luis Suarez well, so it was a potentially deflating blow when Edin Dzeko opened the scoring against the run of play. Liverpool weren't perturbed though and quickly hit back through a super strike from Sturridge just six minutes later. City felt aggrieved because they felt there was a foul on Dzeko in the build up. Referee Anthony Taylor didn't agree, and City were at the very least guilty of not playing to the whistle.

The game ebbed and flowed from then on, and it was hard to tear eyes away from the action as each team took turns to attack. The best goals were saved for last though as first Steven Gerrard smashed a bouncing ball from fully 25 yards beyond Joe Hart and then Sergio Aguero pounced to equalise 12 minutes from time from a seemingly-impossible angle after some crazy decision making from Pepe Reina.

They were undoubtedly two goals worthy of such a fine game.

Man City have now drifted out to 8.415/2 for the Premier League title and Liverpool are 7.26/1 to grab a top four berth.

Elsewhere, and in the day's early kick-off, Goran Popov went a long way to ensuring that his team wouldn't pick up any points at home to Tottenham Hotspur by getting himself sent off for spitting at Kyle Walker midway through the second half. The West Brom full back disgraced himself by reacting to something said by Walker after a brief exchange by spitting and will no doubt be hauled over the coals by his manager for letting down the club and his teammates.

Spurs were matched at 2.8815/8 to win the game and Gareth Bale was backed at 10.09/1 to score first, something he did in the 67th minute as part of a superb display in which West Brom found him impossible to deal with whether they had ten or eleven men on the field. Lewis Holtby came off the bench and put in a superb performance full of energy as well, something that will give immense pleasure to his manager Andre Villas-Boas. Of concern to Spurs though will be the injury to Jermaine Defoe who limped off with an ankle problem and now leaves Spurs without a recognised striker until Adebayor returns from African Cup of Nations duty. Spurs are now 2.0421/20 to clinch a Top Four Finish, but question marks remain over their lack of firepower.