Liverpool ended Manchester City's Premier League unbeaten run in shocking style, gob-smacking and handing Pep Guardiola's men their first league defeat of the season in a seven-goal Super Sunday showpiece-thriller at Anfield.
Former Gunner Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain gave the Reds the lead with a smacker after just 8:47 minutes, a nice long strike 45 yards from goal between four defenders, across the keeper Ederson and in, boom!
The visitors were stunned, the Kop loud, but five minutes before the break City replied, Leroy Sané smashing in the equaliser past Loris Karius' bottom right, his near-post, not good for Simon Mignolet's replacement.
Up until then, Jürgen Klopp's men were all over their opponents, chasing, tracking and closing down every ball, thrilling to watch, hell to play against. Or pressing, pressing, pressing as others put it.
Liverpool continued the high-powered, energised and full-on style after the break, Man City dominating possession but not play.And just before the hour-mark, the Red storm of three goals in nine minutes commenced:
Roberto Firmino with a brilliant individual goal, stayed up, kept the ball, and shooooooot, 2-1. The shirt went off. Yep, and Anfield exploded.
Seconds later, Sadio Mané hit the post, a minute before his left-footer into the top left corner made it 3-1, even Martin Tyler got loud!!!
And that wasn't all, not even six minutes later, Mohamed Salah clipped the ball over Ederson and in, after the keeper made an error of a clearance/pass/cross/whatever it was supposed to be, 4-1, vielen Dank!
Rache ist süüüüüß! (= revenge is sweeeeet! In case you're wondering what I'm on about, here's my report on the last time these two sides met.)
But it would have been too good to be true. It cannot be Liverpool FC without a hick-up (or two) and more drama drama drama!Sub Bernardo Silva (84') and Ilkay Gündogan (91') pulled two late goals back to make it 4-3 and hand the Citizens a glimmer of hope of avoiding defeat and the Reds that all too familiar horrifying feeling of "NOT AGAIN".
GULP. I couldn't watch...
But it was not to be for the league leaders and record-breakers, the home side held onto the lead and bagged the three precious, unexpected, awesome points.
Only two teams have gone longer unbeaten than City's run of 22 matches from the start of the season in Premier League history - Arsenal in 2003-04 (38 games) and Manchester United in 2010-11 (24).
And Guardiola doesn't seem to like Klopp, having lost five times against the German, more than against any other manager.
Andy Robertson was outstanding at the back for the Reds, controlling and frustrating the Citizens, including former Red Raheem Sterling, which was inspiring especially after all the Reds were so worried about being without injured Virgil van Dijk! And Coutinwho?! Life goes on and looks pretty rosy without the Brazilian!Emre Can's substitution changed the game and showed how much Liverpool relied on him as City came back into the game minutes after he was replaced by James Milner.
And many were surprised to see under-fire defender Dejan Lovren start and given the captain's armband.
But who cares?! WE WON AND SHOWED EVERYONE YES WE CAN! JAWOHL!!!
Liverpool Goals: Oxlade-Chamberlain 9', Firmino 59', Mané 61', Salah 68'.
Man City Goals: Sané 40', Bernardo Silva 84', Gündogan 90'+1'.
Liverpool Team: 1 Karius, 12 Gomez, 32 Matip, 6 Lovren, 26 Robertson, 21 Oxlade-Chamberlain, 23 Can (7 Milner 79', booked), 5 Wijnaldum, 11 Salah (20 Lallana 88'), 9 Firmino (booked), 19 Mané (17 Klavan 90'+4').
Subs not used: 22 Mignolet, 28 Ings, 29 Solanke, 66 Alexander-Arnold.
Man City Team: 31 Ederson, 2 Walker, 5 Stones, 30 Otamendi (booked), 18 Delph (3 Danilo 31'), 17 De Bruyne, 25 Fernandinho (booked), 8 Gündogan, 7 Sterling (booked, 20 Bernardo Silva 71'), 10 Agüero, 19 Sané.
Subs not used: 1 Bravo, 15 Mangala, 21 Silva, 35 Zinchenko, 55 Diaz.
FT Stats: LFC 4-3 MCFC
Possession: 36%-64%
Shots: 16-11
On target: 7-4
Corners: 5-6
Fouls: 10-7
Yellow cards: 2-3
Referee: Andre Marriner
Man of the match: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Ground: Anfield
Attendance: 53,285
Click here for my previous LFC match report.
All pictures, facts and stats were taken from the BBC match report, MOTD2, Twitter and Sky Sports match coverage.
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