Man City 0, Liverpool 2
Goals by Mo Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai helped Liverpool beat Man City in the league at the Etihad for the first time since November 2015.
Liverpool took the lead after just 14 minutes after Alexis Mac Allister’s corner was flicked out to Mo Salah by Dominik Szoboszlai – the Egyptian’s shot took a wicked deflection off Nathan Ake’s foot to defeat Ederson.
Liverpool were 2-0 up after 37 minutes when a long ball up the flank found Mo Salah who unselfishly squared the ball to Dominik Szoboszlai to double the Liverpool lead.
Liverpool could have wrapped it up after 56 minutes when Curtis Jones had a tap in after Dominik Szoboszlai unselfishly squared the ball to him following a through ball by Ryan Gravenberch but VAR ruled it out.
And in the aftermath City could have pulled a goal back after Omar Marmoush – who had a goal ruled out for offside earlier – saw his shot saved by Alisson.
And although City enjoyed some possession in the second half they couldn’t fashion a comeback as their attackers had not looked like the tight unit they would be in a normal Guardiola season and Liverpool expertly managed the game to extinguish any hopes of a comeback from City.
And City still needed an intervention from Abdukdokir Khusanov to prevent a third Liverpool goal after Dominik Szoboszlai broke through late in the game.
PLAYER RATINGS – Man City 0, Liverpool 2
Ederson: 6. Beaten by deflected Mo Salah shot and unsighted for Dominik Szoboszlai’s goal. Saved from Luis Dias and Salah again though.
Rico Lewis: 6. Nominally at right back but quickly inverted into midfield. Beat Curtis Jones a couple of times in duels.
Abdudokir Khusanov: 6. Seems to have settled in well but passing long range needs improvement. Got back to win the ball off Luis Diaz and last ditch tackle to deny a third goal for City after Dominik Szoboszlai got through.
Nathan Ake: 6. Unlucky to see Mo Salah’s deflect off his foot to beat Ederson. Blocked a fine ball into the box by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Josko Gvardiol: 6. Galloped upfield with the ball after robbing Mo Salah.
Nico Gonzalez: 6. Provided some legs in midfield but was bypassed by Liverpool playing long or down the flanks.
Kevin De Bruyne: 6. Still perceptive in midfield but wasn’t doing any set pieces and had no impact on the game. Replaced midway through the second half.
Phil Foden: 6. Early shot was easy to collect for Alisson but looked out of sorts. Thought he had set up Omar Marmoush for a goal but the Egyptian was offside.
Savinho: 6. Dropped back to help out but also troubled Andy Robertson, kept the ball in play in the build up to Omar Marmoush’s equaliser which was ruled out.
Jeremy Doku: 7. Had people out of their seats at early dribbling on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s side but end product needs improvement – no Haaland to aim at either.
Omar Marmoush: 6. Dropped off into midfield often to try and draw Ibrahima Konate out of the Liverpool defence. Strayed offside and his 30th minute equaliser was ruled out. Seemed to be taking the free kicks and corners.
James McAtee (on for Kevin De Bruyne, 66): 6. Added intensity to the midfield.
Ilkay Gundogan (on for Omar Marmoush, 77): No time to mark
Ruben Dias (on for Nathan Ake, 77): No time to mark
Mateo Kovacic (on for Nico Gonzalez, 77): No time to mark
GOALS – Man City 0, Liverpool 2
Man City 0, Liverpool 1: 14. Mo Salah’s shot took a wicked deflection off Nathan Ake to wrong foot Ederson after Alexis Mac Allister’s corner was flicked out to him by Dominic Szboszlai – the Egyptian slipped his marker.
Man City 0, Liverpool 2: 37. Dominik Szoboszlai hit the second for Liverpool from 16 yards out after Mo Salah’s unselfish square ball set him up following a long ball up.
MATCH STATS – Man City 0, Liverpool 2
Man City: Ederson, Lewis, Khusanov, Ake (Dias 77), Gvardiol, Gonzalez (Kovacic 77), De Bruyne (C) (McAtee 66), Foden, Savinho, Doku, Marmoush (Gundogan 77)
Man City Subs not used: Ortega, Grealish, Silva, Reis, Nunes
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold (Quansah 90+2), Konate, van Dijk (C), Robertson (Tsimikas 73), Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Salah (Elliott 90+2), Szboszlai, Jones (Endo 73), Diaz (Gakpo 79)
Liverpool Subs not used: Kelleher, Nunez, Chiesa, Jota
Goals: Salah 14; Szoboszlai 37
Referee: Anthony Taylor