ไทย
English
中國人
Manchester City strengthened their grip at the summit of the Premier League with a commanding 3–0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, recording six wins from six to keep their flawless start to the campaign intact.
In the build-up to the match, attention was drawn as much to City's ongoing financial proceedings as to the football itself. With the club found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges levelled against them, speculation over potential sanctions—including points deductions and title strippings—continued to dominate the conversation.
It seemed almost poetic that their first fixture since the verdict would pit them against Liverpool, a club so frequently denied by City over the years. Could the Reds exact some form of revenge? Could they stop a City side that had won all five of their previous league outings? The electric atmosphere at Anfield certainly suggested the home faithful believed an upset was on the cards.
The answer, as it turned out, was an emphatic no.
While City were not at their slick, flowing best throughout, they took full advantage of Ryan Gravenberch's second-half dismissal to assert their dominance and claim a convincing three points, courtesy of goals from Erling Haaland, Jérémy Doku and Rayan Cherki.
Man City Drown Out the Noise
City were predictably greeted with a hostile atmosphere at Anfield, with the club's looming punishment casting a long shadow over the occasion.
Supporters gathered outside the ground to voice their displeasure, while jeers echoed around the stadium as both sides emerged onto the pitch. Liverpool's players also looked fired up, with several heated exchanges and moments of confrontation adding to the charged atmosphere in the early stages.
Once the initial hostility died down, the match settled into a more recognisable pattern. City were far from their sharpest, yet still controlled possession and fashioned the better opportunities, as is so often the case. Liverpool had their own spells of promise, but Gravenberch's dismissal for a second bookable offence midway through the second half tilted the contest decisively in City's favour.
Haaland opened the scoring with a powerful finish, before Doku curled in a stunning second to put City firmly in the driving seat. A moment of brilliance from Cherki then rounded off the win, completing a thoroughly comfortable 3–0 victory for Enzo Maresca's men.
Despite the hostility and the noise surrounding the club, City allowed their football to speak for itself.
Their display may not have been perfect, but the scoreline delivered a clear statement: regardless of what lies ahead off the pitch, they remain laser-focused on winning—and their unblemished start to the season shows no signs of faltering.
Wirtz Still Struggling
Despite the final scoreline, the contest was not entirely one-sided, especially before Gravenberch's red card. Liverpool started both halves with energy and demonstrated enough attacking intent to suggest they were capable of causing problems.
Much of Liverpool's offensive play revolved around Florian Wirtz, yet the high-profile summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen struggled to make his presence felt. The German repeatedly made poor choices in dangerous areas, opting to pass when shooting was the better option and shooting when a teammate was better positioned. His indecisiveness was frustrating to observe and appeared to wear on those around him.
He also surrendered possession on multiple occasions, failed to impose himself physically, and looked a shadow of the confident, dynamic player who had made such an impression at Leverkusen.
The deeper concern for Liverpool is that Wirtz's difficulties are becoming increasingly hard to overlook, yet their alternatives are limited. That leaves Iraola with little option but to continue showing faith in the German and hope that he can eventually settle into his role.
For the time being, however, Wirtz continues to fall well short of what was expected of him.
Liverpool Need a New Striker
With Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Hugo Ekitiké all ruled out, Iraola handed youngster Lewis Koumas his maiden Premier League start against City.
The Wales international showed admirable work rate, pressing relentlessly and chasing down long balls while leading the attack on his own. However, the 21-year-old is simply not yet equipped to the level Liverpool require when facing the division's elite sides.
That was most apparent in his duel with Marc Guéhi. The City centre-back handled Koumas with ease, keeping him well in check throughout, while the young forward also spurned a clear opportunity in the second half.
Koumas deserves some leniency given the difficult circumstances, but the display laid bare Liverpool's lack of depth in attack. With Ekitike expected to remain on the sidelines until November and Isak continuing to battle fitness issues, the Reds cannot afford to leave themselves so exposed in the final third.
Koumas may well grow into a valuable first-team contributor in time, but asking him to fill the void left by Liverpool's senior forwards is an unreasonable burden at this stage of his development. If the club are genuinely serious about competing with the likes of City, securing a proven and reliable striker in January must be high on their agenda.