Liverpool pulled 9 factors clear within the title race with an assured efficiency in opposition to the defending champions Manchester Metropolis, which condemned Pep Guardiola to his first seven-match winless streak in his managerial profession.
The house aspect dominated the opening interval at Anfield in opposition to a Metropolis outfit which nonetheless seemed shell-shocked following their midweek capitulation in opposition to Feyenoord within the Champions League.
And Liverpool’s superiority paid off inside 12 minutes as Cody Gakpo turned residence a superb Mohamed Salah cross to ship Reds followers into ruptures.
Metropolis proceed to love a shadow of their former selves, solely making an attempt their first shot within the thirty ninth minute, however got here out for the second interval a extra energised aspect – maybe after some half-time fireworks from Guardiola.
They nonetheless did not register a single try heading in the right direction, nevertheless, and when goalkeeper Stefan Ortega introduced Luis Diaz down within the field, a peaceful penalty from Salah left the champions staring down the barrel of a fourth straight Premier League defeat and the title slipping away from them.
Mail Sport’s LEWIS STEELE was readily available to separate the celebrities who confirmed up from those that fell quick on a dramatic afternoon at Anfield.
A Mohamed Salah penalty clinched all three factors on a improbable afternoon for Liverpool
Metropolis seemed a shadow of their title-winning selves as they slipped 11 factors off the tempo
Pep Guardiola has now gone seven matches with no win for the primary time in his profession
LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1)
Caoimhin Kelleher – 7
Didn’t make a save till the 82nd minute when he denied De Bruyne to immediate ‘Eire’s No 1’ chants from the Kop. A mere spectator in any other case.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 8
Anybody doubting his significance on this staff should watch this show, with a number of pinpoint passes from deep – one beginning the transfer for 1-0. Was man of the match till Doku gave him a troublesome time defensively.
Joe Gomez – 8
Large day for Gomez on his first begin of the season and he stood as much as the duty, not letting the problem of Haaland faze him.
Virgil van Dijk – 9 MOTM
Van Dijk versus Haaland was billed as a key match-up but it surely was a mismatch, with the Liverpool captain bullying the striker. Solely loses marks for not dispatching certainly one of three headers at different finish.
Andy Robertson – 7.5
Handled the unorthodox problem of Lewis on his flank. Set Gakpo away with an ideal cross to just about make it 2-0.
Anybody doubting Trent Alexander-Arnold’s significance on this staff should watch this show
Virgil Van Dijk versus Erling Haaland was billed as a key match-up but it surely was a mismatch
Ryan Gravenberch – 7.5 (Booked)
Beginning to be taught the soiled aspect of the sport, too, and made some necessary ‘take one for the staff’ fouls.
Alexis Mac Allister – 8
Dictated the tempo from deep for Liverpool and began many assaults. Performs like a bulldog off the ball.
Mohamed Salah – 8.5
A lovely help for Gakpo’s opener and was a menace all through. Missed a penalty in opposition to Actual Madrid on Wednesday – was not going to do this once more.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 8.5
Maybe his greatest sport in a Liverpool shirt. Prompted all types of issues with runs by means of Metropolis’s lacklustre midfield. Put in a mammoth shift off the ball.
Salah created a phenomenal help for Gakpo’s opener and was a menace all through
Cody Gakpo put in a vibrant efficiency after being given the nod on the left wing
Cody Gakpo – 8
A vibrant efficiency after being given the nod on the left wing. He was in the best place on the proper time to open the scoring after which continued to trigger issues.
Luis Diaz – 7.5
By no means stopped operating and received the penalty for 2-0. Turning into a fan favorite.
Substitutes: Darwin Nunez (for Gakpo, 73min) – 6
Jarell Quansah (for Alexander-Arnold, 73) – 6
Curtis Jones (for Salah, 84)
Harvey Elliott (for Diaz, 90+1)
Not used: Jaros, Davies, Endo, Jones, Elliott, Morton, Nyoni.
Supervisor
Arne Slot – 9
Copy and paste from Wednesday: was this the best win of his profession?
MANCHESTER CITY (4-4-1-1)
Stefan Ortega – 7
Would have been 5 – 6 with out him in objective, although it was an affordable penalty to present away.
Kyle Walker was removed from abysmal on Sunday afternoon, however this was one other poor show
Somebody ought to begin an investigation into whether or not Metropolis obtained a pretend Ilkay Gundogan when shopping for him again
Kyle Walker – 4.5
Wanted a seismic enchancment from current weeks and, whereas he was removed from abysmal, this was one other poor show.
Manuel Akanji – 4.5 (Booked)
Regarded nervous in possession as he was requested to step into midfield.
Ruben Dias – 5
Always barking directions at his fellow defenders and added a little bit of management.
Nathan Ake – 6.5
Acquired the nod at left again over out-of-form Josko Gvardiol and handled Salah for almost all of the match.
Rico Lewis – 6.5
Had Metropolis’s first likelihood of word within the sport on 39 minutes when he toe-poked a shot simply huge.
Rico Lewis had Metropolis’s first likelihood of word within the sport on 39 minutes when he toe-poked a shot simply huge
Irritating afternoon for Matheus Nunes who, to his credit score, has been nice in current weeks
Ilkay Gundogan – 5
Somebody ought to begin an investigation into whether or not Metropolis obtained a pretend Gundogan when shopping for him again. Drop-off in his stage has been astonishing.
Bernardo Silva – 5.5
One other who has been poor of late. Regarded nervous to make the killer cross and infrequently went backwards.
Matheus Nunes – 4 (Booked)
Irritating afternoon for Nunes who, to his credit score, has been nice in current weeks amid a team-wide droop. Poor right here, although.
Phil Foden – 5 (Booked)
What’s going on with Foden this season? Largely ineffective regardless of popping up in some good areas.
Erling Haaland – 3
His 11 first-half touches have been fewer than anybody else on the pitch and that was the story of his afternoon. Ghostly.
What’s going on with Phil Foden this season? Largely ineffective regardless of popping up in some good areas
Erling Haaland’s 11 first-half touches have been fewer than anybody else on the pitch and that was the story of his afternoon
Substitutes: Jeremy Doku (for Nunes, 57min) – 6
Savinho (for Gundogan, 57) – 6
Kevin De Bruyne (for Foden, 80)
Jack Grealish (for Lewis, 80)
Not used: Ederson, Carson, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, McAtee.
Supervisor
Pep Guardiola – 5
Was not as catastrophic as some Metropolis followers feared however his staff didn’t create sufficient.
Referee
Chris Kavanagh – 6.5
