The game was a one-sided affair, with Liverpool’s relentless pressure evident from the first whistle. Virgil van Dijk had an early chance to open the scoring, hitting the post with a header from a corner in the 11th minute. The Reds’ dominance continued, and just minutes later, they took the lead through Gakpo. The Dutchman found the back of the net with a close-range finish, receiving a perfectly timed assist from Salah.
Despite City’s best efforts, they struggled to get into the game, with Liverpool’s defense keeping them at bay. The visitors’ best chances came in the latter stages after the introductions of Jeremy Doku and Kevin De Bruyne, but they could muster little to trouble Liverpool’s goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher, who was forced into just two straightforward saves throughout the 90 minutes.
Salah put the result beyond doubt with a penalty in the 78th minute after a foul on Gakpo inside the box. The goal capped off a fine individual performance from the Egyptian winger, who had been a constant threat down the flank, leaving City full-back Kyle Walker helpless in his wake.
The match was a glaring contrast to Manchester City's recent form. Guardiola’s side, who had already been reeling from consecutive defeats to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Arsenal, and Brighton & Hove Albion, once again failed to find their rhythm. City’s xG (expected goals) for the match was a mere 0.78, a reflection of their inability to break down Liverpool’s defense. In comparison, the hosts registered an xG of 3.35, with most of that coming after the introductions of Doku and De Bruyne, who provided brief moments of promise but little else.
For Liverpool, the win extends their lead at the top of the Premier League to nine points, their biggest margin since the final day of the 2019-20 campaign, when they clinched their first league title in 30 years. The victory also marked another blow to Manchester City’s title defense, who have now lost four consecutive Premier League matches, a first for the club since August 2008. This also marks the first time in Pep Guardiola’s managerial career that he has suffered four successive league defeats.
Guardiola’s Struggles Against Liverpool
Guardiola’s struggles against Liverpool have been well-documented, with the Spaniard winning just six of his 23 meetings against the Reds across all competitions (D8 L9). Of all the teams he has faced more than five times in his managerial career, Liverpool are the side he has the lowest win percentage against, with just 26%.
With City now languishing in mid-table, Guardiola faces mounting pressure to turn around his team’s form ahead of a crucial home match against Nottingham Forest on December 4. In contrast, Arne Slot’s Liverpool will look to extend their lead further as they face a trip to Newcastle on the same day.
Looking Ahead
Liverpool’s commanding performance has sent a strong message to the rest of the Premier League. With nine points now separating them from second-placed Manchester City, the Reds look well-placed to maintain their title challenge. As the league reaches its winter break, Liverpool will be eager to keep their momentum going, while Manchester City will need to quickly address their problems if they are to avoid falling further behind.
As it stands, Arne Slot’s side are in a commanding position at the top, while Guardiola will be hoping his team can find a way to turn their fortunes around before the Christmas period.
إرسال تعليق