Title rivals Manchester City and Arsenal played out a 0-0 draw at the Etihad in a match high on tension but short of clear-cut chances which left Liverpool two points clear at the top of the Premier League.
With Jurgen Klopp's side coming from behind to beat Brighton earlier on Sunday, all eyes were on this mouth-watering match-up in Manchester - but the stars of City and Arsenal seemed inhibited by the enormity of the final head to head between any of the three championship chasers of this season.
The best chance of the game came in the first half, when Nathan Ake shouldered a corner at Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya from close range. The Dutchman would go off with a calf problem not long after but despite that further denting an injury-hit City backline, Arsenal failed to majorly trouble stand-in keeper Stefan Ortega.
He was eventually made to work by sub Leandro Trossard in the final minutes from an angle after City replacement Jeremy Doku had twice fired off target.
Erling Haaland barely had a kick and missed the ball completely when Josko Gvardiol's knockdown seemed to open it up for him with six minutes to play.
The result extends Man City's unbeaten home record to a remarkable 39 games, so Arsenal - who had lost their last eight here in all competitions - may see positives in taking a point away.
But after beating City in both the Community Shield and in the Premier League at the Emirates, their failure to do the treble over Pep Guardiola's men means they are now two points behind Liverpool. City are a place and a point further back.