Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to nine points with a commanding 2-0 victory over Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday, as the champions’ struggles deepened.
Cody Gakpo gave the Reds a deserved lead in the 12th minute, and Mohamed Salah sealed the win with a penalty, ensuring Liverpool’s 18th victory in 20 games under manager Arne Slot. City’s defeat left them 11 points behind the league leaders, now sitting in fifth place and winless in their last seven matches, including six defeats.
Liverpool’s closest challengers are Arsenal and Chelsea, while City, who had dominated English football with four consecutive titles, now seem on the brink of losing their crown. City’s recent form has been disastrous, with their only point since October 26 coming in a dramatic 3-3 draw against Feyenoord, where they squandered a 3-0 lead.
Pep Guardiola made changes to his lineup, dropping goalkeeper Ederson and recalling Kyle Walker and Ruben Dias, but there was no revival in performance. Liverpool dominated the first half, with Stefan Ortega making crucial saves from Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai, while Virgil van Dijk hit the post with a header.
Gakpo’s goal came when he bundled in Salah’s cross at the back post, and Van Dijk’s header was just inches wide as Liverpool continued to press. Despite a late attempt to regain control, with Rico Lewis’ effort being City’s only shot on target in the first half, Liverpool remained dominant.
In the second half, City briefly showed signs of improvement but were still vulnerable on the counter-attack. Salah should have added another, but Ortega blocked his shot, and it was a turnover deep in City’s half that finally led to the second goal. Luis Diaz stole the ball from Walker, surged forward, and was brought down by Ortega. This time, Salah made no mistake from the penalty spot, finding the bottom corner for his 13th goal of the season.
Guardiola introduced substitutes like Jeremy Doku, Jack Grealish, and Kevin De Bruyne in a desperate bid to salvage something, but City’s reliance on Erling Haaland remained glaring, as he was effectively neutralized by Van Dijk. A rare lapse from the Dutch defender nearly allowed De Bruyne a consolation, but Caoimhin Kelleher made the save.
As the final whistle blew, Guardiola was taunted with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning,” to which he responded by holding up six fingers, one for each of his Premier League titles in the past seven seasons. However, like his struggling team, Guardiola’s legacy now seems overshadowed by the relentless form of Liverpool, who are threatening to run away with the title.
