Liverpool 2-0 Manchester City: Premier League – as it happened

Report, reaction and analysis

That makes it 18 wins from 20 for Liverpool, a famous win, though one that was predictable. Manchester City’s slide continues to amaze, though perhaps Liverpool’s rise may one day supplant that. Thanks for reading today.

Arne Slot spoke to Sky, too.

”If you look at work-rate I think it was perfect. The amount of chances we miss made it tight at the end. But maybe that’s nice for matches like this. It should be like this. But it would have been nicer to score the second goal earlier.

“We always press high but they’re so good at build-up. So you have to work very hard. Our players had energy. Apart from our players, the crowd was fantastic today as well.

“We’re a compatible team and it’s difficult to beat us. But also we have to put the effort in. But we have injuries. We had to take Trent off. It would have been a risk. These are the challenges we face at the moment but every team has to face these challenges over a season.

“Ideally I would have loved to have seen the second half being the same as the first half. But the quality of the other team…

“If you want to win against City you have to be perfect in every part of the game. High press, low press, build-up. They bring so many problems to you. We came close to perfection, we weren’t perfect but we came close to perfection. That’s the only way to beat a quality team like City.

“I don’t think anyone, including me, would have predicted this [start]. I knew Jurgen [Klopp] left the team in a very good place. But still, to win so much with all the difficult teams we have played already is not something you could predict at the start of the season.

“But, like I say, I saw Arsenal yesterday and Chelsea today and I saw City, they will come back because these teams have so much quality. They could go on the same run as us. So we have to stay sharp and focused.”

Pep on those “sacked in the morning’ chants, per Sky.

“I am here sitting as a manager and defending what we have done in the past thanks to them and more than ever I want to be with them and hug them. We have to change results and in the right time we will take the decision.

“All the stadiums want to sack me, it started at Brighton! Maybe they are right with the results we’ve been having. I didn’t expect that at Anfield. They didn’t do it at 1-0, but at 2-0.

“Maybe they should have sung it in the past. I didn’t expect it from the people from Liverpool but it’s fine, it’s part of the game, and I understand completely. We’ve had incredible battles together. I have a respect for them.”

Pep Guardiola has spoken to Sky:

“The first 15-20 minutes they were unstoppable, they started so strong, we tried to play with a lot of control and passes, but it was difficult to take it. They deserved the first goal, but we started the first half so well and played well in the second half without too much threat. I know how strong Liverpool are in both boxes.

“I congratulate them and we’ll reset and start from zero and it is difficult to believe it. I rely a lot on these players, I know they are doing in this position. We’ll see what happens by the end of the season.

“We can always do the short passes, and we can do it, but we don’t have many alternatives. All I can say is thank you to them because I know the commitment that they showed with and without the ball. Maybe I had a feeling inside me that we will build from them. We will restart and try and make a good run.”

Here’s David Hytner’s report from Anfield.

The City machine looks broken, the certainties that have driven them for so long absent, the control gone. They got exactly what they deserved here – another defeat, a sixth in seven matches in all competitions, and it is very difficult to see them defending their Premier League title.

The delirious Liverpool crowd informed Guardiola that he would be sacked in the morning, which prompted him to raise six digits in their direction, one for each of his league titles in England. It was an isolated act of defiance from someone with the club’s crest on their chest.

The top of the table, with Manchester City in danger of dropping away.

Philip in Anfield gets in touch, in response to AA BB: “Interested to see that City’s titles have Asterixes against them. Some think they should have hired Getafix as the lawyer, and others that O’Veroptimistix is among those salivating over the charges. Pretty sure Cacofonix was sitting near me at the end.”

Enjoy the evening, Philip.

Virgil van Dijk also spoke to Sky:

“I think City is a fantastic team. Four-time champions in a row. They have the quality to punish any team. But I think we were solid defensively and had great chances. We could have scored more. Good game. We won. And we move on.

“We focus on the next game. That’s the only thing we can do. There’s no point at this stage of the season to get ahead of ourselves. Of course everybody wants to be in a position where they are 11 points ahead of their opponents. But there’s so many twists and turns. We have injuries to our team unfortunately and we have to deal with that.”

Couple of stats from Opta:

• Manchester City have lost four consecutive Premier League matches for the first time since August 2008. Meanwhile, this is the first time in Pep Guardiola’s managerial career that he has lost four consecutive league matches.

• Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has won just six of his 23 games against Liverpool across all competitions (D8 L9). Of opponents he’s faced more than five times in his managerial career, the Reds are the side he’s won the lowest percentage of his games against (26%).

Mohamed Salah just spoke to Sky, and there was mention of his contract. Could this be the last time against City?

“It’s very special. I don’t take it for granted. I’m enjoying every minute here. It feels like home. It’s always special feeling always scoring at Anfield and winning games.”

“Honestly it’s in my head. Until now this is the last City game I will play for Liverpool so I was just going to enjoy it. The atmosphere was incredible so I will enjoy every second here. Hopefully we just win the league and will see what will happen.”

Gillian Kirby: “If Pep IS off, who are they replacing him with, though? Steve Cooper? Big Sam? A ghost?”

Niall Mullen (and many others): “Classy from Pep to acknowledge Liverpool’s six European Cups”

Today’s other matches:

Andy Flintoff gets in touch: “It is precisely that he has won so many titles (pending lawyerball) that means he is currently insulated from the sack. After a run of results like the one City is currently on, would any other top (or top-adjacent) team keep the manager?”

AA BB is back: “I think it’s age plus lawyerball. They can see they’re going to have asterixes above a lot of the successes and it’s draining. Pep dropping ederson is a bad management imo. “

Colum gets in touch: “Kelleher has had such an impact on Liverpool’s series of wins on all fronts. Uneasy about the signing of Jaros as third keeper, the Irishman can contend for the spot of first choice goalie with Allison when the latter returns from injury with head held high. Saves fron the likes of Mbappè and De Bruyne. Doesn’t get much better. What a statement from Liverpool!”

Liam McMahon: “You sure the Guardiola six gesture wasn’t to indicate he’s lost just about six games in a row? “

Behind their hands, Haaland and Van Dijk have quite the conversation. Amicable, it should be said. City’s players go to the away fans – and are applauded. Pep does the six finger gesture to the away fans, too. He’s the last to leave the field. This feels symbolic of something. He’s clapping all ends of the stadium and smiling….he’s not off, is he? You heard it here first.

Full-time: Liverpool 2-0 Manchester City

90+2 min: Pep is rubbing his chin now – at least he isn’t picking at his face – but he cuts a beaten, bemused figure. Just what is happening?

90+1 min: Luis Diaz departs, and on comes Harvey Elliott, and four minutes are added on.

90 minute: City have offered nothing beyond that Van Dijk slip. The olés ring out as Liverpool pass the ball around at will. It’s almost cruel.

89 min: Pep was taking that six gesture out of the Mourinho playbook.

88 min: Pep is laughing, and smirking and then does a gesture to show he’s won six titles. The seventh is surely beyond his team this season.

86 min: Anfield is full of song now. The job is almost done. And here comes the “sacked in the morning” chants. That arl Scouse wit…

84 min: Salah, the match-winner, departs the scene. Curtis Jones comes on as a closer.

De Bruyne misses a sitter/Kelleher saves!

81 min: How did City become so vulnerable? It’s an amazing – and welcome for many – development. This season was supposed to be about lawyerball not actual football.

80 min: City subs: Foden and Lewis off, De Bruyne and Grealish on. They will have to perform a miracle. Meanwhile, Salah and Silva tangle. Silva kicked Salah’s hand. Petulance, yeah, that’ll help.

79 min: Pep shakes his head. His team have played well in the second half. Nowhere near their best but something like their old selves. The defending, the composure for that penalty, was unacceptable at any level.

Goal! Liverpool 2-0 Manchester City (Salah, pen, 78)

Penalty to Liverpool

74 min: Van Dijk wants this finished. He surges forward like Alan Hansen and sets up Nunez, who checks back and City clear. Quansah – in fact – is playing right-back.

72 min: Two Liverpool changes: Gakpo and Trent off, Quansah and Nunez on. Gomez will look after Doku. Quansah hasn’t been seen since Portman Road when he got repeatedly rolled by Liam Delap.

70 min: Trent, this time, stops Doku, who is causing real problems. On the other flank, Savinho is doing similar, and as he checks and chips, Gomez clears.

68 min: Darwin Nunez is imminent. Meanwhile Doku spins and skins Trent, and it takes Van Dijk to stop it reaching Haaland. Within seconds Gakpo is going close at the other end. Liverpool retain their speed on the break. But have they lost their touch in front of goal?

67 min: Peter Oh gets in touch: “Re: Pep’s coin-toss mind games. City can run from the Kop, they can hide from the Kop, but eventually the Kop will get them.”

I have a feeling that was Kyle Walker’s plan.

66 min: A rash of Liverpool attacks. Gakpo gets away, Salah veers offside, and Trent’s shot, saved by Ortega, becomes moot.

64 min: Another centre-back – Ake – smashes it long for Haaland. Pep really is going old school. Brings a tear to the eye for the likes of Bassett, Kinnear, Beck, Taylor, Pulis, Warnock and Allardyce. They always knew. And now so does Pep. Haaland doesn’t look like he fancies being the new Wayne Allison, mind.

63 min: Salah scoops one wide, having barrelled through. One thing about him: he’s not afraid to miss.

62 min: Van Dijk reads an Akanji ball arrowing for Haaland. Great play from the Dutchman.

61 min: Liverpool attempt to pass it around, and advance forward. Szoboszlai has a shot blocked after Mac Allister’s elegant turn and gallop.

59 min: Doku and Savinho – two wingers – Pep is going old-school. Rico Lewis appears to be pushed forward, too, released from what is now a back three. It may take a while to work out a revised formation. It’s all City, Liverpool looking to the counter.

57 min: City subs; Savinho and Doku on, Gundogan and Nunes go off. Nunes was on a booking.

Salah misses a sitter…

55 min: Walker and Silva almost combine to get away. Anfield now rings out…their fans are encouraging the team on…

53 min: On the sidelines, Pep and Juanma are back on speaking terms. And Nunes’ high press almost robs an idling Gomez. City want – and deserve – a corner.