In a lacklustre start to the 199th meeting between the two sides, Liverpool conceded an early penalty when goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili brought down the electric Doku inside the area. However, Georgia’s No. 1 was able to make amends, diving to his left to deny Haaland. City didn’t have to wait long to get another chance, though - Norway international Haaland leaping above Ibrahima Konate to head home from Matheus Nunes’ cross after 29 minutes.
Still struggling to get a foothold, Liverpool thought they delivered a sucker punch when Virgil van Dijk met Mohamed Salah’s corner with a superb header. However, the goal was ruled out as Andy Robertson was adjudged to have been interfering with play from an offside position. And to compound the visitors’ misery, City soon doubled their lead when Gonzalez’s strike deflected in off Van Dijk.
Much better in the early stages of the second half, substitute Cody Gakpo passed up a great chance to pull a goal back for Liverpool, firing wide from Conor Bradley’s low cross. And the champions were then made to pay when Doku capped off a scintillating performance by curling home City’s third.
As the match wore on, Salah almost scored a late consolation but he stabbed his effort just past the post as City secured a huge three points which sees them - and not Liverpool - confirm themselves as Arsenal’s closest challengers for this season’s Premier League title.
GOAL rates Liverpool's players from the Etihad Stadium...






