Liverpool hold on to end battling Manchester City's unbeaten record
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Updated 14/01/2018 at 23:40 GMT
Premier League, Anfield - Liverpool 4 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 9', Firmino 59', Sadio Mané 61', Salah 68') Manchester City 3 (Sané 40', Silva 84', Gündogan 90+1')
Liverpool's Senegalese midfielder Sadio Mane (3R) celebrates scoring their third goal
Image credit: Getty Images
Liverpool moved up to third in the Premier League table as they ended leaders Manchester City's 30-match unbeaten run with an incredible 4-3 win at Anfield.
Leroy Sane's solo strike had cancelled out Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's rasping opener going in at the interval, but three goals in nine second-half minutes ended any hope Pep Guardiola's team had of matching Arsenal's invincible season of 2003-04 despite a barnstorming finish that saw them go close to saving their proud record.
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Andrew Roberson celebrates with Sadio Mané
Image credit: Getty Images
Roberto Firmino's sublime dink put the hosts back in front before Sadio Mane banished the demons of his red card in the corresponding fixture back in September with a rising shot into the top corner.
Mohamed Salah seemed to rub salt in City's wounds when he pounced on Ederson's kicking error to lob the keeper from 40 yards and put the Reds 4-1 up.
But substitute Bernardo Silva reduced the arrears six minutes from time before Ilkay Gundogan made it a nervy finale when he fired home in injury time.
Sergio Aguero then headed wide from the final move of the match as Liverpool held on to stretch their own unbeaten run to 18 matches in all competitions and move level on points with second placed Manchester United, who have played a game less.
City remain 15 points clear at the summit, but could see their lead cut to 12 if their city neighbours beat Stoke City on Monday night.
TALKING POINT: City's invincible hopes are over as Liverpool threaten to undo their good work
Guardiola's side were running out of major hurdles to overcome in their pursuit of an unbeaten league campaign - but perhaps it is no surprise that their run has come to an end at a ground where they have won just once since 1981. The Citizens will still go on to win the title, while Liverpool showed why they won't despite a brilliant attacking performance.
Jurgen Klopp was without £75m defender Virgil van Dijk through injury, and his side's issues with managing commanding leads surfaced once more. The Reds have a mesmerising frontline - even without the departed Philippe Coutinho - but Loris Karius showed once again he is not the answer in goal for Sane's near-post effort while the defence overall remains an Achilles heel.
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Liverpool's Croatian defender Dejan Lovren (L) jumps in to celebrate their third goal scored by Liverpool's Senegalese midfielder Sadio Mane (C) to extend their lead 3-1 during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester Cit
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MAN OF THE MATCH: Alex Oxlade Chamberlain (Liverpool)
The England midfielder is showing signs that he is really relishing life at Anfield and raising his level. He played with real confidence and quality, capping his all-action display with a sizzling opener.
PLAYER RATINGS
LIVERPOOL: Karius 5, Gomez 6, Lovren 6, Matip 6, Robertson 8, Wijnaldum 8, Can 7, Oxlade-Chamberlain 8, Salah 8, Mane 7, Firmino 7. Subs: Milner n/a, Lallana n/a, Klavan n/a.
MAN CITY: Ederson 5, Walker 6, Otamendi 5, Stones 5, Delph 5, Fernandinho 6, Gundogan 5, Sterling 5, De Bruyne 8, Sane 8, Aguero 6. Subs: Danilo 5, B.Silva 6.
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Mohamed Salah scored what proved to be Liverpool's winner
Image credit: PA Sport
KEY MOMENTS
- 9' - GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Man City. The hosts lead! Oxlade Chamberlain picks up a loose ball 35 yards out and skips beyond a challenge before rifling a low shot into the far bottom corner.
- 41' - GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Man City. Sane jinks in from the left after Gomez misjudged a long pass. The forward glides beyond Matip and rifles a shot past Karius at his near post. The keeper should do better there.
- 51' - MAN CITY CHANCE! Otamendi rises to meet a left-wing corner but plants a thumping header against the bar.
- 59' - GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Man City. What a finish. Firmino uses his strength to beat Stones to the Ox's pass and dink a lovely effort beyond Ederson and in off the far post.
- 61' - LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Liverpool pour forward again. Mane lets fly with a curler that comes back off the post!
- 61' - GOAL! Liverpool 3-1 Man City. The hosts are on fire. Mane collects a pass on the edge of the box and fires a rising shot into the top right-hand corner of Ederson's net.
- 68' - GOAL! Liverpool 4-1 Man City. It's surely game over! Ederson comes out of his area, but kicks straight to Salah who wastes little time curling a wonderful 40-yard lob into an empty net.
- 84' - GOAL! Liverpool 4-2 Man City. City pull one back. Bernardo Silva slots past Karius after the ball broke his way in the area.
- 90+1' - GOAL! Liverpool 4-3 Man City. Hang on! City have got another. Gundogan with a smart chest and finish from Aguero's dinked cross.
KEY STATS
- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has scored as many goals in 20 Premier League appearances for Liverpool than in his last 71 appearances for Arsenal.
- Kyle Walker has provided five assists in 21 Premier League games this season; his joint-best return in a PL campaign (5 assists in 16-17).
- Liverpool inflicted Manchester City’s first Premier League defeat since last April against Chelsea, bringing an end to their 30-game unbeaten run.
- Pep Guardiola has lost five matches against Jurgen Klopp in his managerial career, more than against any other manager.
- Manchester City’s run of 22 matches unbeaten from the start of the season can be bettered by only two teams in Premier League history – Arsenal in 2003-04 (38 games) and Man Utd in 2010/11 (24 games).
- City have now conceded four goals in their last two away Premier League away matches in January, both of which have been in Merseyside (0-4 v Everton, 1-4 v Liverpool).
- Liverpool have scored 85 goals in all competitions this season, just seven shy of the tally they managed in the entirety of last season (92).
- Leroy Sane has had a hand in 16 Premier League goals this season (7 goals, 9 assists), exactly double the number he was involved in during last season (8).
- Roberto Firmino has now had a hand in six goals in six Premier League games against Manchester City (three goals, three assists), scoring and assisting in three of those games.
- Mo Salah has scored 24 goals and assisted another seven in 30 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions this season.
- This was Manchester City’s first 4-3 defeat in the Premier League since they lost to Manchester United by that scoreline in September 2009.
Paul Hassall
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