Alisson was punished for a chaotic second-half spell as Manchester City stretched their lead at the top of the Premier League after a 4-1 win over Liverpool in a heavyweight clash with significant ramifications for the title race.
Mo Salah’s 63rd-minute penalty had wrestled back momentum for the faltering champions after Ilkay Gundogan – who missed a first-half spot-kick – had made the breakthrough at Anfield shortly after the interval (50).
But two unforced errors in the space of four minutes from Brazillian goalkeeper Alisson allowed Gundogan (73) and Raheem Sterling (76) to dramatically haul the contest – and seemingly the Premier League crown – back in City’s favour.
Phil Foden then capped an imperious display with a late fourth (83) as Pep Guardiola’s ominously-efficient side humbled their hosts.
City, on a 14-game winning streak, are now 10 points ahead of Liverpool and five clear of Manchester United, with a game in hand on both sides, while Liverpool, Anfield aura further diminished, have lost three league games in a row at home for the first time since 1963.
| Substitutes | |
|---|---|
|
19O. Kabak
27D. Origi
7J. Milner
 13Adrián
15A. Oxlade-Chamberlain
23X. Shaqiri
47N. Phillips
76N. Williams
21K. Tsimikas
|
21F. Torres
25Fernandinho
14A. Laporte
82A. Bernabé
69T. Doyle
9G. deJesus
22B. Mendy
50E. García
13Z. Steffen
|
Player ratings
Liverpool: Alisson (2), Alexander-Arnold (5), Fabinho (5), Henderson (7), Robertson (6), Thiago (5), Wijnaldum (6), Jones (7), Salah (6), Firmino (5), Mane (6).
Subs used: Shaqiri (6), Milner (6), Tsimikas (N/A)
Man City: Ederson (6), Cancelo (5), Stones (7), Dias (5), Zinchenko (6), Silva (7), Rodri (7), Gundogan (8), Mahrez (6), Sterling (9), Foden (9).
Subs used: Jesus (6)
Man of the match: Phil Foden
Mane flexed his neck muscles to divert Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross just over the bar midway through the half and Ederson was forced to tip a Roberto Firmino half-volley behind soon after as Liverpool warmed to their task.
Their steady momentum looked set to be checked when Fabinho’s trailing leg caught a shimmying Sterling shortly before the break but Gundogan, so impressive in recent weeks for Guardiola’s side, aimed for the top-left corner yet skied his spot-kick.
Fireworks lit up the Liverpool sky, an apparent attempt to freshly spark the Merseysiders after that let-off, but Guardiola’s tactical tweak – Bernardo Silva pushed further forward to support Foden – instead proved the catalyst as City broke the deadlock.
Sterling too easily evaded Alexander-Arnold and though Alisson pushed away Foden’s close-range effort, Gundogan this time made no mistake on the follow-up.
Curtis Jones flashed a shot just wide as Liverpool sought a swift response but though Klopp’s side looked sapped of energy, a searching pass from Alexander-Arnold prompted a rare Ruben Dias error and Liverpool were suddenly level, Salah punishing the tug from 12 yards.
Klopp pumped both fists in encouragement as his side ended a goal drought of 410 minutes at Anfield, but he would soon fume at self-inflicted damage as Alisson scuffed a pass to Foden, who dinked to the byline and crossed for Gundogan to score his second.
The Liverpool goalkeeper compounded his error by repeating it moments later – passing to Bernardo Silva even closer to goal, and his simple chip was headed home by Sterling for his first goal at Anfield since he left and his 100th under Guardiola.
Foden cut inside with seven minutes remaining as City asserted their authority in ruthless fashion and left an energy-sapped Liverpool side clinging to fourth spot.
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