Match Report & Player Ratings: Liverpool 1-2 Manchester City (Premier League) | OneFootball

Manchester City walk away with all three points in a clash at Anfield that will no doubt be remembered for a long time to come.

The Blues wasted little time in asserting themselves, fashioning an early opening inside the first moments. Bernardo Silva threaded Erling Haaland through and while the striker raced clear, he was unable to beat the onrushing Alisson.

City’s dominance in the opening stages was evident as Pep Guardiola’s side moved the ball with authority and purpose. The visitor pinned Liverpool back for long spells, circulating possession intelligently and repeatedly finding space between the lines.

There was a brief moment of uncertainty at the other end in the fourth minute – when Abdukodir Khusanov was caught in possession, gifting the ball to Hugo Ekitike. However, with City scrambling back, the forward failed to produce the final pass needed.

Aside from that isolated scare, the opening exchanges belonged almost entirely to City. Liverpool were largely kept at arm’s length, taking until the 25th minute to fashion a truly threatening moment, when Mohamed Salah’s effort was well blocked by Marc Guehi.

From the resulting corner, Gianluigi Donnarumma was extremely fortunate to escape punishment after being caught in no man’s land, with Salah attempting to lob the Italian. The ball arced narrowly over the crossbar in a huge let-off for the Blues.

The remainder of the first-half was a fairly balanced affair with half chances for each side, overall though it was Manchester City who looked the team far more likely to get something from this game based on the opening 45 minutes.

The second-half began in scrappy fashion, with Liverpool immediately looking to assert themselves. City responded, springing quickly up the other end, and Alisson was fortunate not to be punished after misjudging a ball outside his area.

The goalkeeper’s rushed intervention saw the ball spill awkwardly into the path of Omar Marmoush but a tricky bounce prevented the forward from capitalising. From that moment, Liverpool grew increasingly comfortable, sustaining pressure on City’s back line and forcing Guardiola’s side deeper.

Hugo Ekitike was afforded too much space on the edge of the area, curling an effort that drifted agonisingly wide of the top corner with Donnarumma rooted.

Manchester City were living dangerously and their luck was tested again moments later when a slick Liverpool counter-attack carved them open; Ekitike meeting the delivery with a header that flashed narrowly past the post.

The opening 10 minutes after the interval belonged firmly to the hosts, with City struggling to establish any real control in midfield and repeatedly being forced into last-ditch defending. Liverpool’s tempo and directness posed problems for the visitors.

With pressure continuing to mount just after the hour mark, Marc Guehi was forced into another decisive intervention – his third block of the contest – throwing himself in the way of Florian Wirtz’s effort with Donnarumma seemingly beaten.

After close to half an hour of sustained Liverpool pressure, the breakthrough finally arrived and in spectacular fashion. Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick was nothing short of sensational, leaving Donnarumma rooted as the ball arrowed into the top corner.

With seven minutes remaining, it was the captain who reignited City’s belief. Erling Haaland’s deft header teed up Bernardo Silva, who applied a composed poacher’s finish – a role reversal of sorts for the pair.

It arrived entirely against the run of play, but moments like these underline why Silva was entrusted with the captain’s armband at the start of the season: a player built for the biggest occasions.

With seven minutes of time added on, City were up against it. Matheus Nunes got a crucial touch on the ball ahead of the onrushing Alisson to win City a penalty. And who else but Erling Braut Haaland to convert under the highest of pressure. The Blues score their first two second half Premier League goals of the year in the dramatic fashion that only they know how to.

It wasn’t over yet though as Donnarumma was called into action to make a phenomenal fashion in the 98th minute to prevent the ball from flying into the top corner from Alexis Mac Allister. Moments like this are exactly why City leapt to secure the Italian’s signature in the summer.

As if the match hadn’t already delivered enough drama, chaos erupted in the 99th minute. Alisson was caught stranded in the City half following a Liverpool corner, allowing Rayan Cherki to attempt an audacious effort from the halfway line that trickled over the line to seemingly make it 3-1 to the visitors.

Celebrations were short-lived, however, as the referee halted play to review a potential foul involving Haaland and Szoboszlai in the build-up. After a lengthy check, the goal was ruled out and attention instead turned to the original incident; Szoboszlai was shown a red card, adjudged to have hauled Haaland back just outside the penalty area.

Here’s how we rated the Manchester City players from Sunday’s monumental win over Liverpool at Anfield!

Starting XI

Gianluigi Donnarumma – 8

Lucky to not concede in the first half after getting caught in no man’s land from a corner. Aside from that, did mostly everything expected of him throughout.

Couldn’t have done a whole lot about the free-kick, although he’ll no doubt be disappointed to have been left completely anchored. A huge save in the 98th minute proved exactly why the Italian was so sought-after in the summer – a save as crucial as either goal.

Matheus Nunes – 6.5

Nunes didn’t really put a foot wrong once again and no one passed the ball more accurately than the Portuguese right-back, who he rarely looked troubled by Cody Gakpo and Hugo Ekitike on the left flank.

He did incredibly well to win a penalty at the death of it as he just managed to get a touch on the ball before Alisson bought him down. Far from his best performance in a Manchester City shirt, but equally far from his worst.

Abdukodir Khusanov – 7

Didn’t really put a foot wrong, looking comfortable in possession with the exception of an early wobble to give Ekitike the ball just next to the City box. Completed all but two of his 24 passes along with two interceptions and three recoveries. Withdrawn as a concussion substitution after a clash with a Liverpool player.

Marc Guehi – 8 (POTM)

An assured and comfortable performance in his most important City fixture yet. Three huge blocks to deny Liverpool several clear chances, along with providing a good level of threat in kick-starting counter attacks. Nothing more the Englishman could have done to hold Liverpool off, he had the answer for most everything they could throw at him.

Rayan Ait-Nouri – 6.5

Exciting attacking play all throughout the first-half, giving the right side of Liverpool’s defence plenty worry about. Ait-Nouri was barely troubled defensively, keeping Salah quiet for the majority of the competition. A much quieter second half, but that’s hardly his fault with Liverpool holding the ball for large portions of the half.

Nico O’Reilly – 6

Comfortable in midfield once again.

Rodri – 6.5

A typical Rodri performance, calm and assured all the way through. Nothing phenomenal on display but absolutely dependable as he so often is. A good performance against a very dynamic and quick side.

Bernardo Silva – 8

Gave City a lifeline late on with a brilliant finish to restore parity. Didn’t set the world alight throughout the rest of the game but he can be forgiven for his crucial goal late on in the contest.

Antoine Semenyo – 5.5

Perhaps a harsh rating as Semenyo didn’t do a whole lot wrong, but unfortunately for the January signing, he didn’t do a whole lot of anything. Not necessarily his fault, but with such a brilliant start to City life, you might expect a bit more.

Erling Haaland – 8

Still frustratingly quiet in front of goal in open play but very effective in every other attacking sense. No one created more chances than the Norwegian’s three, including his crucial assist in the 83rd minute. And of course his 92nd minute penalty could prove to be a pivotal moment in the title race as he put City ahead as anyone would bet on him to do.

Omar Marmoush – 6

Lively in the first half, the majority of City’s attacks flowed through the Egyptian. Was unlucky not to get a clear chance at goal with Alisson’s howler early in the second-half. Likely withdrawn early having picked up a yellow card. A solid performance and unlucky not to have anything to show for it.

Substitutes

Rayan Cherki – 6

Very quiet by his standards, but again didn’t put a foot wrong. Incredibly unlucky to have his 100th minute halfway line goal ruled out, a moment that would have capped off the game in the best possible way.

Ruben Dias – 6

Safe and dependable in his return to action, didn’t have as much to do as his counterpart Guehi, but tightened up the backline very nicely as he so often does.

Nathan Ake – N/A

Came on at the death of the game and had very little time to make an impact.