City CAPITULATE in horror finish | 01:38
December 2nd, 2024 7:15 am
Liverpool opened up a nine-point lead at the top of the Premier League as Manchester City’s crisis deepened in a 2-0 defeat at Anfield.
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Cody Gakpo’s 12th-minute goal was scant reward for the Reds’ first-half domination and they sealed an 18th win in 20 games under Arne Slot thanks to Mohamed Salah’s penalty.
City are now 11 points off the runaway leaders down in fifth and winless in seven games, including six defeats.
Arsenal and Chelsea are Liverpool’s closest challengers as City appear set to lose their crown as English champions after winning an unprecedented four consecutive titles.
Pep Guardiola was taunted with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” in the closing stages.
The City boss responded by showing six fingers, one for each of his Premier League title wins in the past seven seasons.
But Guardiola insisted he is not living in the past as he looks to turnaround the worst run of his managerial career.
“When you win you laugh, when they win, they laugh. It’s part of the game,” said Guardiola on his interaction with the crowd.
“Now it will be so difficult to repeat (winning the title) this season but all the club, we will reflect together, to try and come back strong,” said Guardiola.
City’s only point since October 26 even felt like a defeat as they blew a 3-0 lead in the final 15 minutes to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord in the Champions League in midweek.
Guardiola responded by dropping goalkeeper Ederson, while Kyle Walker and Ruben Dias were restored to the defence.
But there was no response from the defending champions as they were blown away in the opening stages.
City could barely get out of their half in the opening quarter and the goal duly arrived when Gakpo bundled in Salah’s enticing cross to the back post.
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Virgil van Dijk hit the post and powered another big headed chance inches wide as the chances continued to come for Liverpool.
Even during City’s finest seasons under Guardiola, they have struggled to contain the power of the Anfield crowd.
City’s only away win against Liverpool since 2003 remains behind closed doors during the coronavirus-impacted 2021/22 season.
“Today really stood out,” said Slot on whether this was his finest day as Liverpool boss to day.
“The culmination of the energy we had and the energy the crowd had.”
Guardiola’s men did at least manage to stem the bleeding either side of half-time, but should still have been punished several times on the counter-attack.
Stefan Ortega saved from Gakpo and Trent Alexander-Arnold, either side of a stunning Salah miss when one-on-one with the German goalkeeper.
Another turnover deep inside their own half finally cost City the decisive second goal.
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Luis Diaz robbed Walker and surged through before he was brought down by Ortega. Salah had fired wide from the spot in Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions League win over Real Madrid.
This time the Egyptian found the bottom corner for his 13th goal of the season to round off Liverpool’s dream week.
“Real Madrid and Manchester City have been and are so good, with managers that have won so many trophies, so it is always nice to come out of those situations as a winner,” added Slot.
“But they were able to win every single three days. We understand what we want to achieve is more than this winning once or twice, even against these big teams, if you want to win big things.”
Guardiola emptied Jeremy Doku, Savinho, Jack Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne off the bench in the second half in search of a lifeline.
However, City’s reliance on Erling Haaland for goals was again evident as he was marked out of the game by Van Dijk, who had been imperious until a late lapse of concentration should have gifted City a consolation.
He presented the ball to De Bruyne, but he could not beat the in-form Caoimhin Kelleher.