City inflict 3rd straight Anfield loss on ailing Liverpool

February 08, 2021
Liverpool’s goalkeeper Alisson reacts after Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling scored his side’s third goal during their  English Premier League match yesterday.
Liverpool’s goalkeeper Alisson reacts after Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling scored his side’s third goal during their English Premier League match yesterday.

LIVERPOOL, England (AP):

Manchester City dismantled Liverpool, aided by Alisson Becker's uncharacteristic goalkeeping blunders, to win 4-1 yesterday and inflict the Premier League champions' third successive loss at the former fortress of Anfield.

A first victory for City at Liverpool since 2003 -- sparked by Ilkay Gundogan's double -- nudges Pep Guardiola's side closer to regaining the trophy.

While City pushed five points clear of Manchester United at the top of the standings, Liverpool slipped 10 points behind the leaders in a faltering title defence.

"It gives us every chance to go on and win it now," said Phil Foden, who scored City's fourth after Raheem Sterling's header. "But the job is not done."

Not since 1963 have Liverpool lost a hat-trick of home league games. And this is a stadium where it had been unbeaten in 68 games until Burnley won last month, and Brighton followed up with another victory on Wednesday.

No wonder Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said Alisson felt disappointed.

"There is not a real explanation," Klopp said. "Maybe he had cold feet? It sounds funny but it could be. Maybe he could have kicked it in the stand. But Ali saved our life so many times."

It was failing to keep hold of a shot that allowed Gundogan, who sent a first-half penalty into the Kop, to beat Alisson four minutes after the break.

Mohamed Salah levelled from a penalty in the 63rd minute, but Gundogan restored City's lead 10 minutes later. Another pair of errors by Alisson led to Sterling heading in the third before Foden powered in an angled drive.

It was a stylish way to seal a 14th successive win in all competitions for City, which won the title in 2018 and 2019 under Guardiola.

The trophy was surrendered meekly last season to City. At this stage last season, Liverpool had already established a 16-point lead over Guardiola's second-place side.

Now Liverpool are even clinging on to fourth place to qualify for the Champions League.

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