Manchester City 4-1 Liverpool: Jack Grealish on song as Pep Guardiola's side hammer Reds to keep pressure on Arsenal
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Updated 01/04/2023 at 16:48 GMT
Manchester City hammered Liverpool 4-1 on Saturday lunchtime to keep their title hopes alive whilst dealing a big blow to their opponents' top-four ambitions. Mohamed Salah opened the scoring for the visitors before City, who were missing top scorer Erling Haaland, turned up the heat. Julian Alvarez scored the equaliser before Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish all netted.
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Manchester City came from behind to beat Liverpool 4-1 at home in a pulsating affair after second-half goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish.
City were without the injured Erling Haaland while Darwin Nunez started on the bench for the visitors but it did not impact the quality of the game.
Pep Guardiola's side started brightly with Riyad Mahrez's free-kick curling inches wide and Rodri's effort saved by Alisson.
The Reds scored with their first shot on target with Diogo Jota laying the ball off to Mohamed Salah in the box and he rifled the ball into the corner.
Their lead lasted 10 minutes with Julian Alvarez converting Grealish's low cross from close range to equalise.
Tempers flared throughout the half and Rodri was fortunate to avoid a second booking for bundling over Cody Gakpo.
The second half was a similarly entertaining affair and the hosts grabbed the lead within a minute of the restart after Mahrez's pinpoint first-time cross was poked in by De Bruyne to punish Liverpool's high line.
And the reigning Premier League champions punished more inept defending to extend their lead when the impressive Gundogan fired a shot in from close range after Alvarez's shot had been blocked.
Jurgen Klopp made four changes with 20 minutes remaining but it had little impact as City grabbed another when Grealish traded passes with De Bruyne to slide in and score.
The result saw City throw down the gauntlet to Premier League leaders Arsenal, who responded by beating Leeds later on Saturday to keep the gap at the top at eight points. Guardiola's side have a game in hand.
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Who needs Haaland? Deploying John Stones in midfield and De Bruyne further forward reaped plenty of rewards. But the key battles were won on the flanks by Mahrez and Grealish against Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson, particularly in the second half.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Jack Grealish (Man City)
He has had plenty of stick since joining City from Aston Villa for £100 million but this was arguably his best game in a blue shirt. Liverpool's full-backs could not cope with his passing and linkup play with De Bruyne and Gundogan. And he capped his performance off with a neatly worked goal with De Bruyne.
PLAYER RATINGS
MAN CITY: Ederson 6, Stones 7, Akanji 5, Dias 7, Ake 7, Rodri 6, Gundogan 9, De Bruyne 9, Grealish 9*, Mahrez 8, Alvarez 8. Subs: Silva n/a, Palmer n/a.
LIVERPOOL: Alisson 6, Alexander-Arnold 3, Konate 4, Van Dijk 4, Robertson 4, Fabinho 6, Henderson 4, Elliott 5, Gakpo 7, Jota 6, Salah 7. Subs: Firmino 4, Oxlade-Chamberlain 4, Tsimikas 5, Nunez 4, Milner n/a.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
17' - GOAL FOR LIVERPOOL! Jota holds off Akanji in the box and lays the ball off for Salah who steers the ball into the corner first-time.
28' - GOAL FOR MAN CITY! Robertson is caught in no-man's land, Mahrez finds Grealish out wide and he sets up Alvarez with a low cross to equalise.
46' - GOAL FOR MAN CITY! Mahrez's pinpoint first-time cross is touched in by De Bruyne. Liverpool's high line was left exposed.
53' - GOAL FOR CITY! Alvarez gets the ball out of his feet, his shot is blocked and Gundogan is there to score.
74' - GOAL FOR MAN CITY! Grealish trades passes with De Bruyne and slides in to score.
KEY STAT
Kevin De Bruyne's goal after 53 seconds is the earliest Liverpool have conceded in the second half of a Premier League game since Sylvain Distin netted after just 40 seconds for Everton in January 2011.
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