Manchester City produced a decisive second-half display to defeat Liverpool 3–0 at Anfield, with Erling Haaland, Jérémy Doku and Rayan Cherki scoring the goals that extended City’s perfect start to the Premier League season to six victories.
Manchester City strengthened their position at the top of the Premier League with an impressive 3–0 victory over Liverpool on Sunday, delivering a composed and clinical performance in one of English football’s most demanding away fixtures.
After a competitive first half in which both teams created opportunities, the contest changed dramatically when Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch was sent off in the 62nd minute. City capitalised on their numerical advantage, scoring three times in a 13-minute spell through Haaland, Doku and Cherki.
The result took City to 18 points from their opening six league matches, maintaining their perfect record and extending their advantage over second-placed Arsenal to three points.
Liverpool and City battle through a tense first half
The atmosphere at Anfield was intense from the opening whistle, with Liverpool looking to disrupt City’s passing rhythm and make the most of their home advantage.
Liverpool began with energy and attempted to press City high up the pitch. Victor Muñoz provided an attacking threat, while Lewis Koumas and Florian Wirtz helped the hosts look for openings against City’s organised defence.
City, however, remained disciplined. Nico O’Reilly operated at left-back, while the visitors worked to absorb Liverpool’s pressure and create opportunities of their own.
Enzo Fernández tested Alisson Becker with a curling effort from distance, while Elliot Anderson also helped City advance into dangerous positions. At the other end, Gianluigi Donnarumma was required to make important interventions as Liverpool threatened.
The match remained goalless at half-time, with neither side able to establish a decisive advantage.
Liverpool continued to push after the restart. Donnarumma produced important saves to deny Koumas and Gravenberch, while Alexis Mac Allister sent an effort narrowly wide. City also came close when Haaland narrowly missed after being played through by Antoine Semenyo.
The breakthrough did not arrive immediately, but a major turning point was about to change the game.
Gravenberch’s dismissal shifts the momentum
Liverpool’s hopes suffered a significant setback in the 62nd minute when Gravenberch received a second yellow card for a challenge on City substitute Jérémy Doku.
The dismissal reduced Liverpool to ten men and gave City an opportunity to take greater control of the contest.
The decision became one of the match’s major talking points, particularly given how closely contested the game had been up to that point. Liverpool had competed well, but playing with a numerical disadvantage against City’s attacking quality presented a different challenge.
City responded by increasing the pressure, moving the ball with greater purpose and looking to exploit the additional space.
They needed only three minutes to make their advantage count.
Haaland breaks the deadlock
In the 65th minute, City finally found the breakthrough.
Doku drove into the penalty area and attempted to create an opening, but his effort was blocked by Mac Allister. The loose ball fell to Haaland, who reacted quickly and unleashed a powerful strike into the net.
It was a crucial moment for City, rewarding their persistence after a difficult opening hour and giving them the lead at a decisive stage of the match.
Haaland’s finish also placed Liverpool under immediate pressure. With ten men and now trailing, the hosts needed to find a response while preventing City from extending their advantage.
They would have little time to recover.
Doku doubles City’s advantage with a superb finish
Just three minutes after Haaland’s opener, City struck again.
Doku cut inside from the right and created the space he needed before unleashing a superb effort into the far corner. The finish demonstrated the winger’s technical quality and gave Alisson little chance of making a save.
The goal made it 2–0 and strengthened City’s grip on the match.
Doku had entered the game as a substitute in the 56th minute, but his influence was immediate. His direct running and willingness to take on defenders gave City another attacking dimension, and his contribution proved decisive.
Within a short period, a tightly contested match had become a two-goal advantage for the visitors.
Liverpool now faced the difficult task of trying to recover with ten players against a City side growing in confidence.
Cherki adds a spectacular third
City completed the scoring in the 78th minute through another moment of individual brilliance.
After receiving the ball in an attacking position, Cherki showcased his close control with a clever piece of footwork before evading Jeremie Frimpong and finishing calmly past Alisson to make it 3–0.
It was a goal that combined creativity, composure and technical precision, bringing a fitting conclusion to City’s second-half performance.
Cherki’s finish also underlined the variety of attacking threats available to City. Haaland supplied the powerful finish, Doku produced the long-range quality, and Cherki delivered the individual skill to complete the scoring.
With a three-goal cushion, City managed the remaining minutes professionally to secure an important away victory.
Elliot Anderson named Player of the Match
While City’s attacking players grabbed the headlines with three goals, Elliot Anderson earned special recognition for his influential performance in midfield.
Anderson was named Sky Sports’ Player of the Match after delivering an impressive display at Anfield. His composure in possession, work rate and awareness helped City manage Liverpool’s pressure during a fiercely contested encounter.
The midfielder played an important role in maintaining City’s balance, helping the visitors remain organised before they took control in the second half.
His performance was a reminder that City’s victory was about more than the goals. While Haaland, Doku and Cherki provided the finishing quality, Anderson’s contribution in midfield helped lay the foundations for an important away win.
What the result means for the Premier League race
The victory leaves City with 18 points from six matches, extending their advantage over Arsenal to three points at the top of the table.
It is also a significant result in the context of City’s recent record at Anfield. The win marked consecutive league victories at Liverpool’s home ground for the first time since January 1953, following City’s previous 2–1 victory there in February.
For Liverpool, the defeat represents a difficult afternoon after a competitive opening period. Gravenberch’s dismissal changed the circumstances of the match, but the speed with which City scored twice afterwards made a comeback increasingly difficult.
City, meanwhile, will take confidence from their ability to remain patient, respond to pressure and turn a close contest into a convincing victory.
Their attention now turns to European competition, with Paris Saint-Germain due to visit in the Champions League on Wednesday.
City leave Anfield with another statement result
Manchester City’s 3–0 victory was a demonstration of patience, attacking quality and clinical finishing.
Liverpool made the contest difficult during the opening stages, but City’s response after Gravenberch’s dismissal was decisive. Haaland opened the scoring, Doku doubled the lead with a superb strike, and Cherki completed the result with an outstanding individual effort.
Anderson’s recognition as Player of the Match further highlighted the collective effort behind the victory, with City’s midfield providing an important foundation for their attacking success.
Six matches into the Premier League campaign, City remain unbeaten with a perfect record of six wins from six.
There is still a long way to go in the season, but this was another important test successfully negotiated by Guardiola’s side.
For City, the result brings three valuable points, a memorable away victory and further momentum as they continue their pursuit of Premier League success.
