Liverpool overawed arch-rivals Manchester City in a 2-0 win on Sunday with objectives from Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah to take a commanding nine-point lead on the high of the Premier League and lengthen their opponents’ hunch to seven video games with no win.
The consequence was City’s first four-game dropping streak within the Premier League since 2008 and pushed Pep Guardiola’s struggling facet all the way down to an unfamiliar fifth within the desk, 11 factors behind their best rivals of latest years.
Buoyed by a midweek Champions League win over Real Madrid, Liverpool got here out flying and will have wrapped the sport up by halftime with a hatful of probabilities together with two thundering Virgil van Dijk headers, one in every of which hit the woodwork.
The first objective got here within the twelfth minute after a luxurious lengthy go from Trent Alexander-Arnold to Salah on the precise wing. His low ball eluded Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega for Gakpo to nudge in on the again submit.
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Salah scored Liverpool’s second with a 78th-minute penalty, after fellow striker Luis Díaz was introduced down by Ortega within the field, sending the Anfield crowd into delirium.
“The followers had been behind us from the primary minute, and I’m glad we managed to win the sport … I’m having fun with each minute right here,” Salah mentioned, acknowledging, nonetheless, that it might be his final recreation at house to City amid hypothesis over his contract renewal.
“It’s very particular and I do not take it with no consideration. It’s at all times particular to attain at Anfield and win video games.
The consequence was supervisor Arne Slot’s 18th win in 20 video games in an exquisite begin at Liverpool the place he has managed so as to add defensive metal and calm management to the livid attacking type of predecessor Jürgen Klopp.
Slot’s crew are high of the Champions League after a flawless begin in that competitors and have now taken an intimidating lead within the Premier League on 34 factors after 13 video games, 9 factors above each Arsenal and Chelsea.
Dominant from the off on Sunday, Liverpool had 18 pictures together with seven on track all through the sport, in comparison with City’s eight with solely two on track.
It was the primary time in Guardiola’s illustrious teaching profession that he has misplaced 4 successive league video games.
Liverpool followers delighted in taunting him with the mantra: “You’re getting sacked within the morning,” which he took in good spirit, elevating six fingers for the variety of Premier League titles he has received.
Liverpool captain Van Dijk, who comfortably shackled City striker Erling Haaland all through the sport, mentioned it was far too early to speak about profitable the Premier League.
“We give attention to the following recreation, that is all we will do. There’s no level at this stage of the season in getting forward of ourselves,” he mentioned.
“I believe City is a incredible crew, four-times champions in a row, and so they have high quality to punish any crew. I believe defensively at this time we did very well, offensively too. We may have scored extra, general it has been an excellent day.”
