The remainder of the first half went relatively smoothly for Manchester City.
McManaman and Fowler made individual efforts, but with Materazzi's aggression and Gallas's composure at the back, they were unable to significantly influence the game or alter City's overall tactical control.
As the whistle blew for halftime, the away side — Manchester City — held a temporary one-goal lead over Liverpool.
Fans in the stands began to disperse, making full use of the 15-minute break to grab refreshments or visit the bathroom, preparing themselves for the battle that awaited in the second half.
Robertson also decided to return to the changing room to arrange the team's tactics for the second half. After observing the first half, he more or less had an idea of what he wanted to do. However, before he left, he needed to assign a task to the two men beside him. He couldn't just let them follow him back to the dressing room.
