Liverpool 3-1 Manchester City

Liverpool have moved eight points clear at the top of the Premier League after defeating reigning champions Manchester City 3-1 at Anfield. Jurgen Klopp made four changes from the Champions League win over Genk as Andy Robertson returned at left-back, Jordan Henderson came back into midfield and Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane were restored to the forward line.
City chief Pep Guardiola made six changes from his side’s 1-1 draw in Europe at Atalanta as Claudio Bravo started in goal for the injured Ederson.
John Stones, Kyle Walker, Angelino, Rodrigo and Sergio Aguero were also back in the starting XI.
Liverpool only took one point off City last season and that proved costly in the title race, but they were ahead just six minutes into this contest.
City had a big shout for handball against Trent Alexander-Arnold in the Liverpool penalty area, before the Reds broke and Mane’s cross eventually rolled to Fabinho who hammered a right-foot strike past Bravo from just outside the box.
The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) checked the handball appeal, but gave the goal much to the delight of the majority of fans packed inside the ground.
Raheem Sterling had a great chance to level on nine minutes but somehow put a free header over the crossbar from a Kevin De Bruyne free-kick.
He was made to pay for that miss when his former club extended their lead on 13 minutes as Robertson put in a superb cross towards the back post from the left and it dropped to Mohamed Salah who guided his header back across goal and into the bottom corner.
Aguero, still looking for his first goal at Anfield, got a sight on 24 minutes when he nutmegged Fabinho in the area and tried to find the far corner, only for Alisson to make the save.
Angelino then managed to work an opening down the left of the Liverpool box but his effort took a slight nick off Alexander-Arnold and bobbled behind off the far post.
Liverpool responded in the 38^th minute as Alexander-Arnold surged into the area before teeing up Firmino whose low strike was blocked by Bravo.
Aguero was played in down the left channel by De Bruyne, but the Argentinian dragged his shot wide of the far post from the edge of the area, before Salah forced Bravo into a parrying save at the other end in stoppage time.
It was effectively game over when Liverpool scored their third of the afternoon on 51 minutes as Henderson floated the ball over from the right and Mane was on hand to head in at the back post despite Bravo’s best efforts to keep it out.
City almost got a foothold in the contest on 68 minutes when De Bruyne did well down the left and put a dangerous low cross into the middle towards Aguero who missed the ball with the goal at his mercy.
However, the Citizens were not to be denied an away goal with 12 minutes remaining when Angelino drilled a low ball to Bernardo Silva on the right of the area and he hit a sweet low finish beyond Alisson.
The goal unsettled the hosts and they almost pulled a second one back two minutes later when Sterling got in down the left and put the ball across the six-yard box which Gabriel Jesus couldn’t divert into the net.
Liverpool’s unbeaten start, which has saw them win 11 of their opening 12 matches, moves them to 34 points, while City’s third defeat of the season keeps them in fourth on 25 points.