Mohamed Salah’s sensational second-half goal sealed Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City in a thrilling encounter at Anfield that also saw Jurgen Klopp sent off.
Salah, fresh from his six-minute hat-trick against Rangers, produced brilliant control to knock down Alisson’s long kick and move away from Joao Cancelo before beating Ederson with a brilliant finish (76) as Liverpool put their opponents behind them. recent problems. .
Klopp’s red card came as tempers were fraying in the closing stages, the Liverpool manager ruled out after reacting furiously when the hosts were denied a free kick for an apparent foul by Bernardo Silva on Salah, whose goal ended to a streak of five games without goals in the Premier League.
That incident came after Pep Guardiola was also angered earlier in the game when a Phil Foden goal was ruled out by VAR after Erling Haaland was deemed to have fouled Fabinho in the build-up.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Mohamed Salah scores Liverpool’s winning goal with a resounding breakaway shot
Liverpool entered the game 13 points behind City after their worst start to the season in 10 years, but they fought back determinedly, becoming only the second Premier League team all season to prevent Haaland from scoring, and seized their chance. when Salah, who had previously been denied by Ederson in similar circumstances, caused Anfield to erupt with a goal that brought their season to life.
For City, meanwhile, the defeat ends their unbeaten start to the Premier League campaign and leaves them four points behind leaders Arsenal, who beat Leeds 1-0 on Sunday.
How Liverpool stopped the City machine
Liverpool faced a momentous task against a City who had scored 13 goals in their last three Premier League games and that task was made even more difficult before the ball was kicked.
A muscle injury to Ibrahima Kante saw the French international join Joel Matip on the sidelines, meaning Joe Gomez had to move into central defense and James Milner had to replace right-back, with Trent Alexander-Arnold only keeping him. fit enough for the workbench.
The makeshift backline faced a stern test against Halaand, who scored goalless, and the City striker had a string of half-chances before the break, freshly rested against FC Copenhagen in midweek.
Alisson denied him the first of those chances when he tried to pick the Liverpool goalkeeper off a pass from Ilkay Gundogan. He then turned down two headers, the second of which came from Kevin De Bruyne’s trademark cross.
However, Liverpool stood their ground and created their own openings in the first period, with Diogo Jota sending a direct free header to Ederson from a Harvey Elliott cross, and Andrew Robertson coming back on fire after another dangerous attack.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Phil Foden’s goal against Liverpool was disallowed after Fabinho’s shirt was ripped off by Erling Haaland.
However, it was after the break that the game really came to life.
A frantic period began with Ederson saving brilliantly from Salah after the Egyptian jumped City’s offside trap following a pass from Roberto Firmino, and within minutes City thought they were in front.
Foden was the man with the ball in the net, firing through a deflection from Gomez after Alisson failed to catch a pass from De Bruyne under pressure from Haaland.
Erling Haaland of Manchester City fights with Fabinho of Liverpool
But City’s joy was short-lived, as referee Anthony Taylor ordered the pitch-side monitor consulted and Haaland duly penalized for tugging Liverpool midfielder Fabinho’s shirt.
The reprieve emboldened Liverpool, with Jota closing in again when he headed in Salah’s cross at the far post, but City continued to threaten too, with Haaland making a superb one-handed save from Alisson soon after.
Jurgen Klopp was sent off in the closing stages of Anfield
However, it was Liverpool who made the decisive breakthrough, Salah’s excellent control of Alisson’s shot past Cancelo and putting him on target for the second time.
City struggled to topple Liverpool as they tried to fight back in the closing stages, and tensions boiled over when Klopp received a red card from Taylor.
But it was Liverpool who created the best chances, with substitute Darwin Nunez inexplicably opting to shoot rather than find a team-mate during a three-on-one attack, and Alexander Arnold, another substitute, also coming close.
Liverpool celebrate their victory at Anfield
In the end, however, a single goal was enough. Enough to jumpstart Liverpool’s season, perhaps, and certainly enough to leave City with the task of catching up with surprise leaders Arsenal.
Whats Next?
Liverpool they return to action on Wednesday when they receive western ham at Anfield, starting at 7:30 p.m.
manchester city they don’t have a weekday meeting, which means their next outing is on Saturday when Brighton trip to the Etihad Stadium, starting at 3:00 p.m.