Liverpool were humbled 4-1 by the defending champions Manchester City in Saturday’s high-billed Premier League showdown at the Etihad Stadium.
MATCH PROCEEDINGS
The home side Manchester City went close to finding the opener through Riyad Mahrez’s free-kick which curled just wide of the post.
Jurgen Klopp’s men took their chance on the other end of the pitch with Mohamed Salah teed up by Diogo Jota to slot the ball into the back of the net.
Salah could have doubled his account for the day but was denied by City winger Jack Grealish who dashed half the length of the pitch and poked in his toe much to the former’s dismay.
Grealish then turned provider for City’s leveller with the Premier League holders scoring through striker Julian Alvarez. who had a simple time to execute to make it 1-1.
City did not take long to take the lead after the restart with playmaker Kevin de Bruyne finishing off a fine move by the hosts.
Ilkay Gundogan kept a calm head in a crowded box to make it 3-1 for the hosts City who looked all but certain to secure the in with more than half an hour left to play for.
Alisson Becker put out a fine save to deny the City forward Grealish who was enjoying one his best games in the City shirt and was a constant trouble for the Liverpool backline.
A a quadruple substitution was on show for the visitors Liverpool with 20 minutes remaining as the likes of Darwin Nunez and Kostas Tsimikas were brought on to put their side back in the offing.
Grealish, however, piled more misery upon Klopp’s Merseysiders with the Englishman’s placed finish in the 73rd minute going past Alisson and rubber stamp the win for Pep Gourdiola’s men.
