Haaland, Doku, Cherki Shine as Man City Beat Liverpool 3-0
Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, and Rayan Cherki score to secure a dominant 3-0 victory for Manchester City over Liverpool at Anfield.
Manchester City maintained their flawless start to the Premier League 2026-27 campaign with a commanding 3-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield. A red card for Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch proved to be the turning point, allowing the visitors to dismantle the hosts in the second half.
Liverpool's Early Pressure Fails to Pay Off
The match began with Liverpool asserting dominance, pushing the visitors back during a frantic opening 15 minutes. Despite the intense pressure, City remained composed. While Liverpool's Antoine Semenyo delivered a dangerous low cross, neither Erling Haaland nor Iliman Ndiaye could connect, leaving the visitors unscathed.
As the game progressed, both goalkeepers were forced into action. Liverpool's Alisson Becker and City's Gianluigi Donnarumma both had to make crucial interventions to keep their sides in the contest. In the second half, Donnarumma was particularly impressive, denying Lewis Koumas and Gravenberch to maintain City's momentum.
The Turning Point: Gravenberch Red Card
The deadlock was broken following a moment of madness from the hosts. Ryan Gravenberch, already on a yellow card, received a second caution for a challenge on Jeremy Doku, leaving Liverpool with only ten men on the pitch.
Manchester City wasted no time exploiting the numerical advantage. Less than three minutes after the dismissal, City struck their first blow. A strike from Doku was deflected into the path of Erling Haaland, who finished clinically to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
City Dominates as Liverpool Slips to Ninth
With the extra man, City's dominance grew. Jeremy Doku produced a moment of individual brilliance, cutting in from the left and curling a magnificent shot past Alisson to double the lead.
The rout was completed late in the match when Rayan Cherki turned inside Jeremie Frimpong during a fluid team move, slotting the ball home to make it 3-0. The result keeps Manchester City at the summit of the table, while Liverpool suffers their first league defeat, sliding down to ninth place.