Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah’s goals helped Liverpool upset their fierce rivals Manchester City 2-0. This extended their opponents’ losing run to seven games and handed Liverpool a dominating nine-point advantage at the top of the Premier League.
The result put Pep Guardiola’s struggling club in an unusual fifth place in the table, 11 points behind their most fiercest opponents in recent memory. It was also City’s first Premier League losing run of four games since 2008. After defeating Real Madrid in the Champions League midway through the week, Liverpool came out on top. They had numerous chances to win the game by halftime, including two thundering headers from Virgil van Dijk, one of which hit the post.
In the 12th minute, Salah on the right flank scored the first goal after Trent Alexander-Arnold made a lovely long pass. Stefan Ortega of Manchester City missed Gakpo’s low ball, and the striker pushed in at the back post. Salah’s penalty kick in the 78th minute gave Liverpool their second goal after Ortega’s tackle on fellow striker Luis Diaz in the box sent the Anfield crowd into a frenzy.
“The supporters cheered us on from the very first minute, and I’m happy we won the match. “I’m loving every minute here,” Salah remarked, but he acknowledged that, given rumours surrounding his contract renewal, this might be his final home game against City. It is quite unique, and I do not take it for granted. Winning and scoring goals at Anfield are always spectacular.
It resulted in Liverpool’s 18th win in 20 games under manager Arne Slot, who has made an outstanding start to his tenure at the club by striking a balance between defensive strength and cool control and the fierce attacking style of his predecessor, Jurgen Klopp.
After 13 games, Slot’s team leads the Premier League by 34 points, nine points clear of both Arsenal and Chelsea. They dominated that league and are now in the lead in the Champions League.
Liverpool dominated Sunday’s contest from the start, with 18 shots, seven of which were on target, compared to City’s two.
For the first time in his legendary managerial career, Guardiola lost four straight league games. Raising six fingers for the number of Premier League titles he had won, the Spaniard responded to the taunt brilliantly. Supporters of Liverpool took great pleasure in tormenting him by chanting, “You’re getting sacked in the morning.”
