Manchester City walked into a ferocious Anfield atmosphere and left with a 3-0 victory that kept Enzo Maresca’s side perfect at the summit. With the club still awaiting a potentially severe outcome over 114 of the 115 Premier League charges brought against it, City found the footballing court of public opinion no gentler on Merseyside. They nevertheless dealt with it with increasing authority after the break.
In the dressing room
| Match | Result | Key outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool v Manchester City | 0-3 | City maintained a perfect 18 from 18 and stayed top |
Anfield had been bristling well before kick-off, the noise rising sharply when the teams emerged. Liverpool responded as a side determined to make every tackle count, with Virgil van Dijk driving the intensity and young forward Koumas refusing to be cowed in the early skirmishes.
Liverpool were without Isak and Ekitiké, so Koumas joined Víctor Muñoz and Barcola in attack. Gravenberch came into midfield following a late Szoboszlai absence, while Araújo again started at full-back for a third consecutive league outing. City’s only notable selection surprise was O’Reilly, chosen ahead of Gvardiol on the left side of the defence.
The home side initially pressed and snapped their way into the game, although City gradually found room once Cherki dropped deeper to support Anderson and Enzo. Jacquet kept close watch on Erling Haaland, while the crowd urged Liverpool to retain an edge that was always going to be difficult to sustain for 90 minutes.
Gravenberch offered Liverpool their clearest route forward, drawing opponents before carrying the ball through the lines. Yet chances were limited. Víctor Muñoz sent one effort out for a corner and later struck a tame left-footed shot, while Enzo tested Alisson at the other end. Anderson also left a mark on Florian Wirtz with a robust challenge that won the ball; Wirtz struggled to settle amid the pace of the contest.
City finished the first half with 54 per cent possession and spent spells camped in Liverpool territory, but had managed only three attempts by the interval. Neither Iraola nor Maresca made a change at half-time.
The red card changed the weather
Liverpool began the second period with renewed purpose. Donnarumma made two rapid saves from Koumas and Gravenberch, restoring the roar around the ground, while Kerkez cleared Semenyo’s delivery off the line at the other end. Koumas then narrowly failed to connect with a sharp Araújo cross as the match began to open up.
Maresca introduced Doku to stir the game. Semenyo moved to the right and soon sent Haaland clear, but the striker dragged his effort too far across Alisson as he attempted to round the goalkeeper.
The decisive moment followed soon afterwards. Gravenberch received a second yellow card for trying to halt a counter-attack led by Doku, leaving Liverpool a man short. Before Iraola could reshape his side, Haaland seized on a loose ball in the area and thumped it home. His father, watching among the supporters, celebrated wildly.
Liverpool were then pulled apart. Doku collected possession on the left, drove inside past Víctor Muñoz and bent a fine effort into the far top corner beyond Alisson. With more than 20 minutes remaining, City continued to push. Doku, Anderson and Gvardiol combined at speed before Cherki beat Frimpong and supplied the third.
Records at either end
The result extends Maresca’s flawless run to 18 victories from 18, preserves City’s lead and matches the best start made by Pep Guardiola during his time in charge of the club.
For Iraola, there was a longer unbeaten Premier League sequence brought to an end. His run had stretched to 23 matches, made up of 18 games with Bournemouth and five with Liverpool, and had stood since the beginning of January.
City head into the coming week with their place at the top intact and the sense that, whatever awaits away from the pitch, opponents will continue to test them with particular relish. Liverpool, meanwhile, must absorb a heavy home defeat, a suspension for Gravenberch and the end of an unbeaten spell that had become part of their momentum.
