The last move of Reds from Liverpool to Manchester had gone a little better. Faced with historic rival Manchester United, Jürgen Klopp’s men had undoubtedly played the performance of a lifetime, winning the England derby 7-0 on enemy ground. But this Saturday, the Mancunians were dressed in blue, and had no intention of being pushed around. Result: a heavy defeat conceded by Liverpool (4-1), dealt by merciless Cityzens and, above all, to the immensely superior football.
Yet these are the Reds who had opened the scoring in this match. In the first period, the most dangerous attacks are rather red on the goal of Ederson, in particular led by a Mohamed Salah in legs. His first banner is also the good one, when he transforms a ball left alone at the entrance to the surface (0-1, 17th). The second, unfortunately, was missed: as he set off alone on the counter-attack, he made the wrong choice and was caught up in his race by an exceptional Jack Grealish this Saturday afternoon. Within a minute, the Englishman, elected man of the match, is on the attack, and serves Julian Alvarez for the equalizer (1-1, 27th).
A one-sided second half
From there, the Skyblues will gradually increase in strength. And the Reds, conversely, fade away. Even if the serial scorer Erling Haaland is not on the ground, injured, he has something to enjoy the show from the stands. Upon returning from the locker room, City went into “Guardiolesque” mode, chaining brilliant possession phases and dizzying pass combinations. 50 seconds after the start of the second act, it was after such a series of passes that De Bruyne, deliciously served by Mahrez, allowed Pep Guardiola’s men to take the lead (2-1, 46th ).
Faced with Reds apathetic, the Cityzens unfold, quietly. Put down their football without ever being worried. Gündogan is at the conclusion of a new pass to ten in the defense of the Reds, well placed to recover a blocked strike from Alvarez (3-1, 53rd). At the end of the match, while “Olé! ” accompany each sky blue pass, Grealish combines with De Bruyne to drive the last nail in the coffin of the Reds.
While waiting for Arsenal’s match against Leeds (4 p.m.), Manchester City is therefore 5 points behind the Gunners, who will be one game ahead of their first competitor in the standings at the end of the day. As for them, the men of Jürgen Klopp remain trapped in this ugly 6th place, which keeps them a good distance from the race for the Champions League.
