EPL: Manchester City thrash Liverpool at Anfield

Spread the word Manchester City delivered a commanding performance to defeat Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield on Sunday, October 11, strengthening their position at the top of the Premier League table and ending the hosts’ unbeaten start to the 2026/27 campaign.

Goals from Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki in the second half secured the emphatic victory for Pep Guardiola’s side in a match that remained closely contested until Liverpool were reduced to 10 men following the dismissal of Ryan Gravenberch in the 62nd minute. Blueprint reports

Haaland broke the deadlock in the 65th minute, Doku doubled City’s advantage in the 68th minute, while Cherki completed the scoring in the 78th minute to cap a dominant finish from the visitors.

The result maintained City’s perfect league record, with six wins from six matches, taking them to 18 points at the summit. Liverpool, meanwhile, suffered their first defeat of the season and remained on nine points after six matches.

The victory was particularly significant for City, who had to withstand a lively atmosphere at Anfield before taking control of the contest in the second half. For Liverpool, the defeat raised questions about their ability to respond when matches turn against them, particularly against opponents capable of exploiting defensive and numerical disadvantages.

The encounter began with Liverpool seeking to use their home advantage to put City under pressure. The hosts enjoyed promising spells in possession and attempted to attack through the spaces around City’s midfield, but they struggled to turn their early efforts into goals.

Lewis Koumas, making his first Premier League start, was selected to lead Liverpool’s attack. The forward had an opportunity to make an impression when Bradley Barcola played the ball into his path, but his effort was deflected before City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made the save.

Liverpool continued to search for an opening, with Gravenberch testing Donnarumma from distance and Alexis Mac Allister sending an effort narrowly wide. Mac Allister also failed to find the target with another attempt as the home side tried to convert their territorial advantage into a breakthrough.

City, however, remained dangerous on the counterattack. Antoine Semenyo supplied a reverse pass that sent Haaland through on goal, but the Norwegian striker failed to beat Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker with his attempted finish.

The first half ended without a goal, leaving the contest delicately balanced. Liverpool had enjoyed encouraging moments, but City had demonstrated that they possessed the attacking quality to punish any defensive lapse.

The visitors became increasingly dangerous after the interval, and the decisive moment arrived when Liverpool lost one of their midfielders to a red card.

Liverpool’s hopes of securing a positive result suffered a major setback in the 62nd minute when Gravenberch was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.

The midfielder had already been booked in the first half. His attempt to stop Doku from launching a counterattack resulted in another caution, leaving referee Chris Kavanagh with little option under the circumstances but to dismiss him.

The decision proved pivotal. Liverpool were forced to continue with 10 players, leaving them with less capacity to close down City’s midfield and defend the spaces around their penalty area.

Although the dismissal became a major talking point, City still had to take advantage of the numerical superiority. Guardiola’s players responded by increasing the pressure and moving the ball quickly to stretch Liverpool’s defensive structure.

The hosts initially attempted to reorganise, but City’s attacking quality soon made the difference. The visitors scored twice in a three-minute spell, turning a goalless contest into a commanding lead.

For Liverpool, the sending-off made an already difficult task considerably harder. Their midfield lost a player who had been involved in the battle for possession, while City found greater opportunities to move forward and create dangerous situations.

City capitalised on Liverpool’s numerical disadvantage just three minutes after Gravenberch’s dismissal.

In the 65th minute, Doku drove into the Liverpool penalty area, creating uncertainty among the home defenders. The ball came into Haaland’s path, and the Norwegian striker struck firmly into the left side of the net to give City the lead.

The goal was a significant moment for the visitors, who had been unable to break the deadlock during a competitive first half. It also placed Liverpool under immediate pressure to find a response despite having one fewer player on the pitch.

Haaland’s movement and finishing provided the decisive touch City needed. The striker had earlier missed an opportunity when sent through against Alisson, but he made no mistake when the opening presented itself in the second half.

The goal also demonstrated the importance of City’s ability to maintain their composure. Rather than becoming frustrated by Liverpool’s resistance, they continued to create openings until their pressure produced a breakthrough.

Liverpool now faced the difficult prospect of chasing the game against a City side with an extra player and increasing confidence.

City struck again in the 68th minute, with Doku producing an impressive finish to extend the visitors’ advantage to 2-0.

The winger, who had come on as a substitute in the 56th minute, moved in from the left before curling the ball into the opposite top corner beyond Alisson’s reach.

The strike showcased Doku’s ability to create and finish chances in tight spaces. His contribution was central to City’s second-half transformation, having also played a key role in the move that led to Haaland’s opener.

Within three minutes, Liverpool had gone from defending a goalless draw to trailing by two goals. The combination of Gravenberch’s dismissal and City’s clinical finishing had dramatically altered the complexion of the match.

The second goal left Liverpool with a mountain to climb. They needed to find a way back into the contest while also ensuring that City did not exploit the additional space available to them.

City, by contrast, were able to play with greater freedom, knowing that their lead gave them room to manage the remainder of the game.

Cherki added City’s third goal in the 78th minute, putting the result beyond doubt.

The midfielder finished from close range after Josko Gvardiol supplied a flicked assist, completing a move that underlined City’s control of the match in the closing stages.

Cherki’s goal was the final blow for Liverpool, who had been unable to recover after conceding twice in quick succession. It also capped a productive afternoon for City’s attack, with three different players getting on the scoresheet.

Guardiola was then able to withdraw Haaland with around 10 minutes remaining, having seen his side establish an unassailable lead.

The final score reflected City’s superiority after the turning point in the second half. While the first period had offered little separation between the sides, the visitors were ruthless once they found an opening.

For Liverpool, the final 30 minutes became a struggle to contain an opponent who had seized control and was making full use of its numerical advantage.

The victory took City to 18 points from six matches, preserving their 100 per cent league record and strengthening their position at the top of the table.Beyond the three points, the performance demonstrated the team’s ability to remain patient in a difficult away fixture before taking advantage of the opportunities that emerged.

Haaland once again provided a decisive presence in front of goal, while Doku’s introduction gave City additional penetration and directness. Cherki’s contribution further highlighted the range of attacking options available to Guardiola.

City’s response after the interval will encourage their supporters, particularly because Liverpool had enjoyed promising spells before Gravenberch’s dismissal. The visitors showed that they could withstand pressure and then punish their opponents when the game opened up.

Nevertheless, the season remains long, and maintaining consistency will be essential if City are to sustain their position at the summit. Six wins from six provide an excellent foundation, but the challenges will intensify as the campaign progresses.

For Liverpool, the defeat ended their unbeaten start to the season and left them ninth with nine points from six matches.

The result will be disappointing because the contest had remained goalless for more than an hour, and Liverpool had created opportunities before the decisive dismissal. However, their inability to withstand City’s second-half pressure proved costly.

Gravenberch’s sending-off was the turning point, but Liverpool must also examine how quickly their defensive structure unravelled after going down to 10 men. Conceding twice within three minutes left them with little opportunity to recover, while Cherki’s late goal confirmed the scale of the defeat.

Liverpool were also without several players, including Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak, with injuries affecting their selection options. Their absence limited the choices available to the coaching staff, although City also demonstrated the depth and quality required to capitalise on the situation.

The defeat does not define Liverpool’s season, but it offers a reminder of the fine margins involved in matches against leading opponents. They will need to improve their response to setbacks and ensure that disciplinary errors do not leave them vulnerable in future fixtures.

Manchester City’s 3-0 victory at Anfield was built on patience, attacking quality and an ability to exploit a decisive moment.

Haaland scored in the 65th minute, Doku added the second in the 68th minute, and Cherki completed the scoring in the 78th minute. Gravenberch’s dismissal in the 62nd minute proved crucial, but City still had to execute their chances, and they did so emphatically.

The result leaves City with six wins from six matches and sends a strong message to their rivals about their early-season form. Liverpool, meanwhile, must regroup after their first league defeat and focus on returning to winning ways.

At Anfield, the contest was decided not in the first half, when the teams were evenly matched, but in a decisive second-half spell when City turned their advantage into three goals and three valuable points.