Liverpool wrecked Manchester City’s hopes of returning to the top of the Premier League and delivered more evidence of vast improvement under new manager Jurgen Klopp with an emphatic victory at The Etihad.
Klopp’s side tore City apart with a dazzling first-half performance, which saw them take a 3-0 lead through Eliaquim Mangala’s early own goal and cool finishes from Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino.
Sergio Aguero gave City faint hope when he pulled a goal back on half time but City were undermined by shambolic defending as they failed to cope with the absence of injured captain Vincent Kompany.
Liverpool, however, never looked like conceding their advantage and Martin Skrtel’s thunderous late fourth confirmed their superiority as they added this fine away win to their recent victory at champions Chelsea.
Klopp’s revival continues
The optimism engendered by Klopp’s arrival was punctured by Liverpool’s home defeat by Crystal Palace, but all the signs of what the former Borussia Dortmund coach wants from his side were on show here.
Liverpool put City under pressure in possession right away and it was not long before City’s impatient fans were getting stuck into their team for their inability to get the ball out of their own half.
The visitors were able to cut through City’s defence almost at will, with Klopp urging his players not to take a backward step as they went in search of what would be a highly impressive victory.
The contrast between the two managers could not have been starker. Klopp was all action and animation in his technical area while City counterpart Manuel Pellegrini stood motionless for much of the match, hands in his pockets or with arms folded in frustration. The body language reflected the performances of their teams.
Coutinho struggled to hit his previous heights earlier this season but the little Brazilian magician has come to life with the arrival of Klopp.
His equaliser right on half-time time at Chelsea paved the way for victory at Stamford Bridge and has reignited him.
He was masterly as Liverpool cut City to shreds in the first 45 minutes, dropping deep into positions where he could not be countered then darting into the area to get a goal and create countless problems.
The same applies to £29m summer signing Firmino. He initially struggled with the pace of the Premier League after arriving from Hoffenheim but has grown in confidence backed by the faith of Klopp, who has started him in an advanced role in preference to Christian Benteke in the wins at Chelsea and now City. It is a ploy that has reaped a rich reward.
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