Manchester City maintained their perfect start to the Premier League season with a commanding 3-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, extending their winning streak to six matches. The result came in a highly charged atmosphere, following City’s recent guilty verdict for breaching Premier League financial regulations.
City manager Enzo Maresca praised his players for their composure amid the hostile reception from the home crowd, which repeatedly chanted “cheat” throughout the match in response to the club’s sanction over undisclosed funding of approximately £900 million through "sham" contracts. Maresca urged his squad to focus on creating their own positive momentum, emphasizing the importance of continuing to win despite external distractions.
The turning point in the contest came in the 62nd minute when Ryan Gravenberch was sent off for a second yellow card. The Dutch midfielder had initially received a booking for a challenge on Liverpool’s Elliot Anderson, but the dismissal following a tussle with City substitute Jérémy Doku drew sharp criticism from Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola. He argued that the first foul did not warrant a booking and suggested that Anderson exaggerated the contact. Iraola was particularly frustrated as Liverpool had adopted a defensive posture at midfield with nine players behind the ball, and felt the decision unfairly shifted the balance.
City quickly capitalized on the numerical advantage. Erling Haaland opened the scoring just over two minutes after Gravenberch’s dismissal. Jérémy Doku and Rayan Cherki then added goals later in the match to seal the comprehensive victory.
Liverpool, missing key players Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo, and Dominik Szoboszlai due to injuries sustained during the international break, had posed some threat prior to the sending off but were unable to maintain the pressure once down to ten men. The defeat marked Liverpool’s joint-heaviest home loss in Premier League history and ended Iraola’s unbeaten run of 24 top-flight matches.
Looking ahead, Liverpool face an away fixture against LASK in the Champions League on Wednesday, while City are set to host reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain at the Etihad on the same evening. Despite the ongoing uncertainty surrounding City’s appeal against the financial verdict, Maresca expressed determination to focus on preparations for upcoming matches, celebrating the present victory as a significant boost for the entire club organization.