The result
Manchester City delivered a commanding 3-0 away win over Liverpool at Anfield in Premier League round six. The teams were level at 0-0 at half-time, but City scored all three goals in a 13-minute second-half spell to settle the contest.
Erling Haaland opened the scoring in the 65th minute with a left-footed finish. Jérémy Doku, introduced nine minutes earlier, doubled the lead in the 68th minute from Elliot Anderson’s assist. Rayan Cherki then completed the scoring in the 78th minute, converting with his right foot after an assist from substitute Josko Gvardiol.
The decisive second half
The match changed sharply after the interval. Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch, booked for a foul in the 47th minute, received a second yellow card in the 62nd. City took the lead three minutes later through Haaland and quickly added a second through Doku.
Liverpool made five substitutions across the match, including Trey Nyoni for Florian Wirtz at 66 minutes and later changes involving Jeremie Frimpong, Rio Ngumoha, Federico Chiesa and Joe Gomez. City made four, with Doku’s introduction at 56 minutes followed by Gvardiol, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Allan.
The scoreline was not built on an overwhelming gap in total shots: City had 15 to Liverpool’s 13. Liverpool registered six shots on target to City’s four, while Gianluigi Donnarumma made six saves. But City produced the match’s three big chances, missed two of them, and still converted three times. Liverpool did not create a big chance.
City control, Liverpool resistance
City had the larger share of the ball, recording 65% possession and completing 489 of 551 passes at 89% accuracy. Liverpool had 35% possession and completed 238 of 296 passes at 80%. The visitors also led in attacks (99-76), dangerous attacks (48-28), key passes (12-9), successful dribbles (10-8) and duels won (50-44).
Liverpool’s defensive work showed in several categories. They made 12 interceptions to City’s four and won 12 tackles from 15 attempts, compared with City’s six successful tackles from 10. Yet City’s volume of possession and territory was reflected in six corners, 48 dangerous attacks and 11 goal attempts.
Discipline was a major part of the afternoon. Liverpool committed 19 fouls, received four yellow cards and one yellow-red card. Ronald Araujo was booked for dissent in the eighth minute, Gravenberch was booked in the 47th before his dismissal, and Virgil van Dijk saw yellow in first-half stoppage time. City committed 14 fouls and received two yellow cards, for Nico O’Reilly and Bouaddi.
Cherki leads the ratings
Cherki was named Player of the Match with an 8.12 rating, the highest of the game, and capped it with City’s third goal. Donnarumma followed on 7.91 after his six saves. Doku, who changed the game from the bench with a goal, earned 7.67, while Anderson’s assist and all-round contribution brought a 7.59 rating.
For Liverpool, Alexis Mac Allister recorded the side’s highest rating at 7.17. The final margin, however, belonged entirely to City’s second-half execution: three goals, a clean sheet, and three points from Anfield.