Dominant Liverpool sink Manchester City and deal a major blow in the title race | first division

When times have been tough in the past for city ​​of manchester With Pep Guardiola, there has always been the feeling that they will get ahead; everything will be fine. Almost to the point that there has been little dramatic tension around it, just inevitability. Not now.

The city machine seems broken, the certainties that have driven them for so long are absent, control gone. Here they got exactly what they deserved: another defeat, a sixth in seven games in all competitions, and it is very difficult to see them defending their first division qualification.

the delirious Liverpool The public informed Guardiola that he would be sacked in the morning, leading to a six-figure rise in his direction, one for each of his league titles in England. It was an isolated act of defiance by someone wearing the club's crest on their chest.

Liverpool were everything City were not; Asphyxiating at the back, physical in all positions, slippery with the ball, threatening in front of goal. Cody Gakpo's first goal was little reward for their early dominance, but it was never going to be an occasion in which Arne Slot's side did more than extend their lead over second-placed Arsenal to nine points. And they put 11 points between them and City, which is fifth.

Guardiola had admitted that his players were suffering, as was he, and there is no doubt that this is the biggest crisis of his tenure at City. At least now there is some danger. Mohamed Salah secured the points for Liverpool from the penalty spot. The title is yours to lose.

City won 2-1 or more across all English bookmakers, the first time since Guardiola's first season at the club in 2016-17 that they were underdogs for a league match. The city as the brave underdogs? It came into play, as did Guardiola's record at Anfield. Only one in nine previous visits in all competitions has his City team enjoyed victory – and that was when the ground was empty for the league match in the 2020-21 pandemic season.

Here everything was vibrating, the local public felt the blood and tasted it after 12 minutes. No one could say that the trailer wasn't publicized; Moments earlier, Virgil van Dijk had hit the far post with a powerful header. Stefan Ortega, whom Guardiola preferred in the City goal, seemed to have the ball in his hands.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was the architect of the first goal, moving towards midfield to make a diagonal down the inside right for Salah, who had acres of space to run. The city was exposed, and not for the last time in that area. Manuel Akanji went close but Salah cut inside to curl in a beautiful low cross. Less beautiful from City's point of view was how Kyle Walker stopped and watched Gakpo attack the far post and score.

It was the symbol of what was a horrible start for City and there were others: loose passes, just a basic timidity. The nerves were written in Guardiola's features before kick-off. His players were nervous. It was the 25th minute when City stringed together some passes inside Liverpool's half and even then they ended up coming back to Ortega, with the red shirts chasing them every step of the way.

Liverpool could have been further ahead by then because Van Dijk was guilty of heading wide an Alexis Mac Allister corner. The captain was free; seemed sure to score. Salah had won the corner after a footrace with Nathan Aké following another beautiful pass from Alexander-Arnold; Salah had City's left back to give him rhythm, and Aké barely managed to get his foot in.

The excellent Dominik Szoboszlai, who more than justified his selection ahead of Curtis Jones, had worked Ortega with a stinging shot early on and the moment came when Liverpool won the ball high up and threatened through Luis Diaz and Alexander -Arnold. Gakpo stepped in to lift him up high.

City stabilized during the final 20 minutes of the first half, although it was surprising to see how low their threat levels were, particularly down the flanks. They wanted extra touches and Liverpool were in no mood to give them time. City's only flash before the break came in the 39th minute, when Rico Lewis deflected in off the far post following a pass from Erling Haaland. Just before that, Alexander-Arnold had missed from inches away after being awarded a corner.

Liverpool had more chances for a second after the restart, Matheus Nunes blocked Gakpo and, from the resulting corner, Van Dijk headed just over. A thought for City: maybe someone will take notice of the big man? Salah also missed a one-on-one with Ortega, shooting high after Bernardo Silva had given a back pass to Akanji with directions to the Royal Liverpool Hospital.

City had more possession of the ball in the second half. They tried to work on their short passing game. It was an exercise in both rebuilding trust and exerting control. Jérémy Doku made the difference when Guardiola introduced him for Nunes on the left wing. And yet, where were the possibilities?

Liverpool continued to look the more dangerous team on the counterattack, especially Salah, and if their priority in the final minutes was to defend safely, then another goal wouldn't hurt. It came when Rúben Dias wasted time and Walker gave him a hard touch, allowing Díaz to rob him and run away. When Ortega was late to the challenge with him, it was an obvious penalty, the only question was whether the goalkeeper would face a censure. He didn't, Salah's penalty conversion punishment was enough.

There was time for Van Dijk to make a mistake and present City substitute Kevin De Bruyne with a one-on-one against Caoimhín Kelleher. The goalkeeper blocked. For City there is no way out of the torment.