Ian Doyle with the talking points from Liverpool's Premier League clash against Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday afternoon
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 8: Marc Guehi of Manchester City and Mohamed Salah of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on February 8, 2026 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Marc Guehi of Manchester City and Mohamed Salah of Liverpool during the Premier League match at Anfield on February 8, 2026(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
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Back on transfer deadline day in September, Marc Guehi would have been rubbing his hands at the prospect of playing in this fixture. But he wouldn’t have envisaged having his every touch roundly jeered by the Liverpool crowd from the very first whistle.
That, though, was the inevitable consequence of not waiting for the Reds to renew their interest having seen his Anfield move collapse at the last minute, and instead accepting the challenge to answer Manchester City’s centre-back crisis during the January window.
There’s a reason Guehi was so heavily courted during the last 12 months and that was evident here when ignoring the boos with a fine display encapsulated by two important blocks in either half.
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The first saw him shut down a potential opening for Mohamed Salah, while the second prevented Gianluigi Donnarumma from having to save Florian Wirtz’s goalbound effort.
But Anfield was given real reason to be irked by Guehi when, with the scoreline still goalless in the second half, he cynically pulled back Salah on the edge of the area having lost the Liverpool winger. It could easily have been a red rather than the resultant yellow card.
Guehi made the most of his escape. He might well prove the one that got away for the Reds.
Alisson loses way
Many narratives could be sourced from this strange afternoon. But two became glaringly prominent during yet another tortuous injury time.
For the sixth occasion this season, Liverpool conceded a goal during the additional period that changed the result of a game, a failing that has now cost them a total of eight points.
More worrying, though, was the intervention of Alisson Becker in needlessly bringing down Mateus Nunes for the matchwinning penalty.
While safe enough with his handling throughout the game, Alisson had appeared less than convincing with the ball at his feet – some wayward passes put Virgil van Dijk in right bother – and contributed to the Anfield crowd's unease for spells in the first half.
As if to highlight the importance of a goalkeeper in form, at the other end Donnarumma, while unconvincing dealing with crosses, made a superb save from Alexis Mac Allisters deflected strike to preserve City’s late lead.
Another concern for Arne Slot is his team’s continued propensity to start games slowly, even if they were in the ascendancy after the break.
Liverpool have scored only once in the opening 30 minutes of any league game since September with none coming in their last nine.
As the Reds should know better than most this season, games last 90-plus minutes.
Slot needs response
Now what for Liverpool and Slot? This may have only been a second defeat in 17 in all competitions but it also means the Reds have now won just one of their last seven Premier League games.
They stand four points off fifth place and what will likely be sufficient for Champions League qualification, and a further point off the top-four and a guaranteed berth.
It gets worse. Liverpool have now also won only three of their last 13 meetings with Man City and, of course, lost at home to them for the first time in front of supporters since May 2003.
And it was also the first time this season City had picked up any points in the Premier League having conceded the first goal or been behind at any stage.
What was always likely to be a pivotal series of fixtures continues on Wednesday evening at a Sunderland side who haven’t lost at home all season.
Hardly the most conducive of environments for a swift response to this latest demoralising setback for Liverpool.