Both goals were magnificent, different examples of the centre forward's art. For the first, the cross came in from the left. He shrugged off his marker, leapt as though going for a slam-dunk and headed the ball with such ferocity towards the near post that the goalkeeper was wrong-footed.


Mario Balotelli reacts during an EPL game at Anfield. Pic/Getty Images 

The second stemmed from a raking pass from within the other half. He breached the offside trap, paused to chest the ball down and then hared towards the box. A yard inside it, and he left fly just as the ball was bouncing up. There was so much power behind the shot that the keeper didn't even have time for a futile dive.