LIVERPOOL suffered a third-straight Premier League home defeat as Man City stunned the Reds at Anfield.
- Final score: Liverpool 1-4 Man City
- Goals: Salah (pen) 63′; Gundogan 49′ 73′, Sterling 76′, Foden 83′.
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GOODBYE FROM ANFIELD
Three weeks ago, the idea of Liverpool losing a game at Anfield was unthinkable.
The prospect of them losing three in a row for the first time since 1963 was impossible.
Yet 18 days on, the memories of their 68-match unbeaten home run are growing distant, and their title defence lies in tatters.
Following defeats to Burnley and Brighton, the champions were swept aside by Manchester City in a blistering second half on Merseyside.
Two goals from Ilkay Gundogan, who had earlier missed a penalty, and one each from Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden, extended City’s lead at the top of the Premier League to five points with a game in hand on their rivals.
The Reds, however, are now ten points off the pace with Jurgen Klopp now admitting it is a top-four spot and Champions League football that they are fighting for in what remains of the season.
Mo Salah’s levelling penalty had brought some relief to Liverpool’s woes, but a pair of awful errors from Alisson gifted City two quick goals, and Pep Guardiola’s team never looked back.
It’s now 14 successive wins in all competition for City, matching a top-flight record set only twice before in the history of the English game.
After today, they’re bound to have the Premier League trophy to show for it come the end of the campaign. What else awaits them remains to be seen.
There’s more football being played tonight so why not hop over to our live coverage of Sheffield United’s match with Chelsea.
Thanks for reading and goodnight.
PROUD PEP
A delighted Pep Guardiola has been speaking at full time about how pleased he was by his team’s start to both halves, and how a change of position for Phil Foden brought the best out of the youngster.
We cannot play like they play because when they play with transitions, they are the best team in the world. In the second half, we adjusted our set up, and the quality of the players did the rest.
Pep Guardiola
KLOPP REACTION
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp believes his team performed well for the most part at Anfield, but were creators of their own downfall with a series of silly mistakes.
The performance was good most of the time. For the goals we made massive mistakes. If we make them against each team, it’s a problem. Against City, it’s a killer.
Jurgen Klopp
ALISSON’S AFTERNOON TO FORGET
Two awful errors in the space of three minutes from Alisson were central to Liverpool’s heavy defeat, but the Reds will console themselves that they are normally able to rely on one of the world’s best between the sticks.
THE TABLE
Here’s how the Premier League looks after this afternoon’s game.
Pep Guardiola’s men lead their city rivals by five points and have a game in hand, but Liverpool find themselves ten points off the pace.
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Hot off the press, here’s Dave Kidd’s match report of Manchester City’s 4-1 thumping of Liverpool; a game that sparked into life in the second half.
SENSATIONAL CITY
A first win at Anfield since 2003, and a 14th win in succession in all competitions.
Can anyone stop Manchester City in this form?
JAMIE CARRAGH-AAAARGGH!
Gary Neville knows a thing or two about his co-commentary going viral, but now it’s his sidekick Jamie Carragher making noises that have social media in stitches.
The former Liverpool defender reacted hilariously to risky play from Alisson, seconds before the goalkeeper’s error allowed City to restore their lead.
It tickled Neville so much that he said he wanted it as his new ring tone.
FORTRESS INVADED
Three weeks ago, Liverpool appeared unbeatable at Anfield as the stretched their home run to 68 Premier League games without defeat.
Now they find themselves on their worst run of home league losses since 1963.
What has happened to the Reds?
FANTASTIC PHIL FODEN
Manchester City’s boy wonder has been speaking at full time following a superb display for the league leaders, capped by a brilliant individual goal.
I struck it perfectly. I was so happy to see it go in and help my team.
Phil Foden
DROP OF THE KLOPP’S
Jurgen Klopp’s men are making a real hash of their title defence.
FULL TIME STATS
Here are all the numbers following a sensational afternoon at Anfield.
Some are more surprising than others.
FT: LIVERPOOL 1-4 MAN CITY
Manchester City’s have won at Anfield for the first time since 2003, and have done so in style. They were helped on their way by two uncharacteristic blunders from Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson that allowed Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling to score, and all after Mo Salah had brought the hosts level from the penalty spot. Phil Foden’s sensational strike was the icing on the cake as Liverpool fell to a third successive home defeat for the first time since 1963.
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PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
THE FINAL WHISTLE GOES!LIVERPOOL 1-4 MAN CITY
90. There will be three minutes of added time to be played before Man City go five points clear at the top of the table.
Remember, they will have a game in hand.
Remember, they will have won 14 games in a row in all competitions.
Remember, they still have De Bruyne and Aguero to come back into the team.
LIVERPOOL 1-4 MAN CITY
88. It’s a procession now for City.
Meanwhile, it’s no surprise to see some of the greats of the game queuing up to praise Phil Foden.
LIVERPOOL 1-4 MAN CITY
85. Jurgen Klopp makes his final change with Kostas Tsimikas on for Andy Robertson. The Scot looks shellshocked as he depart.
LIVERPOOL 1-4 MAN CITY
84. What a goal! What a player!
It’s absolutely magnificent from Phil Foden, who takes Gabriel Jesus’ pass in his stride on the right, darts into the box, and absolutely hammers a shot through Alisson and into the roof of the net.
Every City player runs to the youngster, they know he’s something special. They know they’re something special. They know they’re on the verge of something special.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLL!!
BRILLIANT FROM PHIL FODEN!!LIVERPOOL 1-3 MAN CITY
83. City are really enjoying themselves here now.
LIVERPOOL 1-3 MAN CITY
80. With that goal, Raheem Sterling brings up his 100th Manchester City goal under Pep Guardiola.
It’s also his first at Anfield since he left Liverpool.
LIVERPOOL 1-3 MAN CITY
76. Alisson blunderland!
The Brazilian goalkeeper has made the same mistake again, making a mess of another routine backpass by sending it straight to Bernardo Silva on the right of the box.
It presents the Spaniard with a simple opportunity to charge down on the Liverpool stopper, and loop a cross over for Raheem Sterling to head in at the far post from a yard out.
It’s unbelievable! City lead 3-1!
GOOOOOOAAAAALLLL!!
ALISSON HAS DONE IT AGAIN!!
RAHEEM STERLING MAKES IT THREE!!LIVERPOOL 1-2 MAN CITY
75. The game has really livened up now…
LIVERPOOL 1-2 MAN CITY
73. Manchester City lead again but it’s all down to the carelessness of Alisson.
The Liverpool goalkeeper – usually so reliable – is almost dispossessed on the edge of his own box when he tries an unnecessarily clever flick. He gets away with it, but doesn’t learn his lesson when the ball is laid back to him seconds later.
A terrible kick out is straight at Phil Foden, who still has much to do. He does it brilliantly, dribbling towards the touchline before squaring a pass for Ilkay Gundogan to score.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
