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After going through the whole of 2011 without losing on their own ground, Manchester City have now been beaten twice in the space of four days and are beginning to look conspicuously thin around the edges. Steven Gerrard’s 13th-minute penalty puts Liverpool in a position of strength going into the second leg of this Carling Cup semi-final when it will need a significant improvement from the Premier League leaders if they are to prevent Kenny Dalglish’s team from confirming a trip to Wembley.

Rarely have City looked so devoid of imagination this season. Liverpool took an early lead, threatened more goals and then eventually settled for a backs-to-the-wall operation during a second half in which the home side’s possession was not accompanied by the wit or gumption to break down a team displaying great defensive qualities of industry and organisation. The two sides renew acquaintances at Anfield in a fortnight’s time and Liverpool, the seven-time winners, should be greatly encouraged about the way they matched and, at times, outdid a side that have managed 56 league goals compared to their own tally of 24.

City looked weary at times. They had used up a lot of energy and emotion in Sunday’s FA Cup defeat to Manchester United and they were missing their captain, Vincent Kompany, as well as two of Roberto Mancini’s other mandatory first-team picks, David Silva and Yaya Touré. The Etihad has been a formidable stadium for opposition teams on Mancini’s watch but for long spells they looked laboured and a good notch or two below what is usually seen of them on their own ground.

As for Mario Balotelli, he lasted only 39 minutes before being withdrawn. Shortly before, he had allowed a simple pass to run over his boot and go out for a throw-in. The striker, sent off in the league at Liverpool in November, took exception to one challenge from Charlie Adam and had to be restrained from taking the argument further.

It was difficult to be clear whether he was still struggling with the ankle injury that had kept him out for the previous two games, but there was something very deliberate about the way he and Mancini ignored each other on the touchline. Balotelli went straight down the tunnel and it added to the sense of a night that was not going to plan.

Liverpool, in contrast, had began the game as if affronted by the memories of their 3-0 league defeat here last week. They were quick to the ball, strong in the challenge and, even before Gerrard’s penalty, there were three separate moments when it was only Joe Hart’s goalkeeping that had kept them out.

The third of those saves, diving full length to his left to turn away a deflected Stewart Downing volley, was a truly exceptional piece of goalkeeping. Yet it was rare to see City so open and it was in this flurry of attacking that Liverpool’s pressure eventually led to Gerrard driving his spot kick emphatically into the bottom corner.

Perhaps in hindsight Mancini might regret not moving Micah Richards across from the right side of defence to partner Joleon Lescott in the centre and bring in Pablo Zabaleta at full-back. Instead, Stefan Savic was given the responsibility to stand in for the suspended Vincent Kompany and it was a gamble that backfired. Savic’s challenge on Daniel Agger was raw and mistimed, catching him just above the knee, and it was not his only mistake of a difficult evening. One misplaced pass inside his own penalty area led to voluble dissent from the crowd and, without Kompany, there was a vulnerability that does not normally exist.

Liverpool had the advantage of having two days’ extra rest and in the opening 45 minutes they seemed to be getting to every loose ball first. Their momentum was not disrupted too badly by Jay Spearing leaving the pitch with a hamstring injury and it was not until the final minute of the first half, when James Milner turned Richards’s low cutback over the crossbar, that Pepe Reina’s goal was threatened seriously.

Liverpool were obdurate opponents. Their strength this season has been in defence and they were more guarded after the interval. A misplaced backpass from Martin Kelly almost had costly repercussions, only for Reina to do enough to put off Sergio Agüero. Reina then saved a leaping header from Richards inside the six-yard area and, with Mancini switching to a three-man defence, the pressure on the visitors’ goal was increasing.

Yet the late onslaught that might have been expected never materialised until stoppage-time. Liverpool held out fairly comfortably and are now the marginal favourites to reach the final.

Carling Cup 2011-12Manchester CityLiverpoolCarling CupDaniel Taylorguardian.co.uk

• City manager says reaction to penalty-area foul was ‘a mistake’
• Mancini signalled for Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel to be sent off

Roberto Mancini issued a public apology after admitting he had made “a mistake” by brandishing an imaginary red card during the 3-0 defeat of Liverpool that put Manchester City three points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

Incensed by the referee Mike Jones’s decision to send off Gareth Barry, Mancini could be seen campaigning for Martin Skrtel also to be dismissed when the Liverpool defender gave away the penalty from which James Milner scored City’s third goal.

It was not the first time Mancini has plucked an imaginary card from his pocket during his two years at City and, having promised that he would not do it again, he admitted he had been in the wrong.

“In the moment maybe I did that because I was not happy with the referee but I made a mistake,” he said. “I was nervous, I didn’t agree with the referee for Gareth’s second yellow card and I did not understand why the penalty did not also have a card. I still do not understand but maybe I made a mistake.”

Mancini could otherwise reflect on a satisfying night in which his team rediscovered their scoring form on the back of their 1-0 defeat to Sunderland and the goalless draw at West Bromwich Albion.

“It was a great response in a difficult game because Liverpool are a fantastic team and they also had the advantage of having played four days ago when we had played two days ago,” he said.

“The result against Sunderland was crazy because we deserved to win that game 3-0 but I am pleased that we responded so well. We played very well and we showed spirit. In the second half we had some problems but we came through it and found a solution.”

Mancini identified Yaya Touré for special acclaim and could not hide his disappointment that the Ivory Coast international, along with his brother Kolo, will leave for the Africa Cup of Nations after Sunday’s FA Cup third-round tie against Manchester United. “I will try to find another Yaya in the squad but the truth is there isn’t one,” he said.

“He is very important to the team, to the way we play, and he is a big influence on the side, so we will miss him. If we can still be top by the end of January I think we have a good chance of winning the title because, without Yaya and Kolo, it will be very difficult.”

Kenny Dalglish, the Liverpool manager, suggested there may have been something wrong with the ball when Pepe Reina allowed Sergio Agüero’s shot to squeeze beneath his body. “I noticed they changed the ball right after, so maybe that had something to do with it.”

He admitted his team had deserved to lose on another disappointing night for Andy Carroll, his £35m striker. “If you want to be a successful team, you have to be clinical. We’ve got to get that into our make-up. Tonight we never had that. It’s a lesson learned. We have to take it on the chin and make sure we don’t repeat it.”

Premier League 2011-12Roberto ManciniManchester CityLiverpoolPremier LeagueDaniel Taylorguardian.co.uk

• Manager begins to lose patience with absent striker
• Argentinian’s premature baby ‘no longer in danger’

Roberto Mancini, the Manchester City manager, last night expressed his ­growing frustration about Carlos Tevez’s self‑imposed absence from the team, abandoning the sympathy that he had ­previously shown towards the club’s leading scorer to suggest that he is running out of patience.

Mancini was speaking after City and Liverpool played out a dull 0‑0 draw that does little for either club’s ambitions to win a qualifying place for next season’s Champions League. The result sees City drop to fifth and Liverpool sixth as Spurs later overtook them to go into fourth spot with a 3-0 victory at Wigan.

Tevez has missed City’s last three games after flying to Buenos Aires ­following the premature birth of his second ­daughter, Katie. Mancini has not been able to speak