For an hour at Anfield on Sunday, Liverpool did almost everything right. Then Ryan Gravenberch was sent off, and Manchester City did what Manchester City do. Three goals in a ruthless 16-minute spell gave Enzo Maresca’s side a 3-0 win and a perfect six-from-six start to the Premier League season.
For Andoni Iraola, it was a first defeat as Liverpool manager, and one that will sting for a long time.
A Scrappy, Physical First Half
Without Alexander Isak (thigh) and Cody Gakpo (ankle), Iraola set his team up to be compact and hard to play through, and it worked. City dominated the ball, holding roughly two-thirds of possession before the red card, but found very little space between Liverpool’s lines.
It was not pretty. There were 18 fouls before half-time, 10 of them by Liverpool, the most in a first half of a Premier League game at Anfield since November 2021, according to Opta. Gravenberch was among those booked, a yellow card that would shape the rest of the afternoon.
Liverpool had their moments too. Gianluigi Donnarumma had to save a firm drive from Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister curled just wide, and at the other end Milos Kerkez cleared off his own line. It was 0-0 at the break, and the home crowd had every reason to believe.
The Moment the Game Turned
Just after the hour, Gravenberch clipped Jeremy Doku, who had only recently come off the bench, and was shown a second yellow card. Many will see it as a harsh decision. But it was a needless risk from a player already on a booking, and City punished it almost immediately.
Within about three minutes, Doku drove a shot that deflected off Mac Allister and dropped kindly for Erling Haaland, who got in front of Virgil van Dijk and scored. It was the kind of goal Haaland has made a career of: he was simply quicker to react than anyone else in the box.
Minutes later, Doku made it two himself. Fed by Elliot Anderson, he cut in from the left onto his right foot and curled a beautiful finish into the far corner. For a player who missed most of the early season with a calf injury picked up in August, it was a perfect reminder of what City had been missing.
The third summed up how open the game had become. Anderson found Josko Gvardiol, whose clever flick released Rayan Cherki. Cherki chopped inside Jeremie Frimpong and slotted the ball past Alisson. Game over.
What It Means
For Manchester City: Six wins from six, 18 points, and the only unbeaten team in the league. After what has been a difficult few weeks off the pitch, this was a statement. Maresca’s side were patient when they needed to be and lethal when the door opened. Winning at Anfield is never routine, and City made the final half hour look easy.
For Liverpool: Nine points from six games and a lot to think about. Iraola described it as two different games, and he has a point. Liverpool were the equal of City for an hour with a weakened squad. But they finished with just 35% possession, Gravenberch now misses the next league match through suspension, and the striker shortage is becoming a real problem. The positive is that the structure Iraola is building held up against the best team in the country, at least until the red card.
The Big Takeaways
- Discipline cost Liverpool the game. A second yellow for a challenge that did not need to happen changed everything.
- Doku is City’s X-factor. He drew the red card, set up the first and scored the second, all as a substitute.
- Haaland does not need many chances. One loose ball in the box was all it took.
- The title race already has a leader. City at full strength look like the team to beat in 2026/27.
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