For an hour, Anfield had Manchester City exactly where it wanted them. Then Ryan Gravenberch tugged back Jérémy Doku, collected a second yellow card, and the afternoon turned on its head. Sixteen minutes later City were three goals up, and the Premier League leaders left Merseyside with a 3-0 win and a perfect record of six wins from six.
The visitors arrived under a cloud. It was their first match since an independent panel upheld all the allegations against them concerning serious breaches of the league’s financial rules, a ruling the club is appealing. Boos greeted their warm-up and the kick-off, and the opening exchanges were scrappy and physical. After the break Liverpool pressed towards the Kop, and Gianluigi Donnarumma had to deny Lewis Koumas, making his first league start, while Alexis Mac Allister curled just wide.
Gravenberch walked on 62 minutes. Before it, City had created almost nothing; afterwards they were ruthless. Doku’s dribble into the box set up Erling Haaland, who lashed in less than three minutes after the sending-off. Doku then curled one into the far top corner himself, and Rayan Cherki added the third on 78 minutes.
The result carries some history. Not since 1953 had City won back-to-back league visits to Anfield, and the gap to Arsenal in second is now three points. Liverpool, without the injured trio of Szoboszlai, Isak and Gakpo, suffered their first defeat of the season under Andoni Iraola and already trail by nine.
For Enzo Maresca, in charge since Pep Guardiola’s departure, it was the clearest statement yet that his side can handle hostile grounds.
