Liverpool ‘put one hand’ on the Premier League trophy and brush apart Man City
Liverpool have put one hand on the Premier League trophy following an incredible display against a toothless Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium
Liverpool put one hand on a Premier League trophy which continues to slip through the fingers of its holders at an alarming rate.
And when Arne Slot’s side pick up their prize at the end of the season, Mo Salah should be the first one to lift it. Because no-one has done more than him to put Liverpool in such a position of strength, in a title race that appears to be over before the end of February.
Salah was supreme again here, demolishing Pep Guardiola’s side almost on his own.
The Egyptian opened the scoring with his 25th league goal of the season, before creating the second for Dominik Szoboszlai, and in the process helped Liverpool pull the throne from under City, to leave the kings of English football flat on their backsides.
Guardiola will have wanted a reaction following his side’s Champions League exit last week. But all City did instead was lurch from a mauling in Madrid to a larruping from Liverpool.
City are not going to defend their title this time round, but hammering a dent in Liverpool’s chances of winning it would feel like second prize, considering there was no love lost between these clubs.
But this never came close to happening, and even if Erling Haaland had been fit to play, which he wasn’t, it’s hard to imagine the outcome being any different.
In recent seasons these rivals have been locked together in some epic battles. But City’s astonishing collapse this season, combined with Liverpool’s relentless consistency, meant Slot’s men sat on top of the table looking down on the rest from a great height.
This win saw them open up an 11 point lead over Arsenal with just 12 games remaining. Not to mention put 20 points between themselves and Guardiola’s side.
It took Liverpool less than 15 minutes to go ahead through a superbly worked goal. Alexis Mac Allister picked out Szoboszlai from a corner, and he flicked the ball into the path of Salah, who beat Ederson with a shot which deflected off Nathan Ake.
It meant Salah had scored in his eighth successive game in all competitions, the second longest run of any Liverpool player.
Phil Foden tried his luck with a long range free kick, but there was little end product from the home side, despite them dominating the ball. Which explained why Guardiola ranted at his players every chance he got.
And his mood went from bad to worse before half time, when Salah turned provider to help Liverpool double their lead.
Having turned Josko Gvardiol inside out, Salah teed up Szoboszlai, who beat Ederson with a simple finish. It was all too easy for the visitors, who were hammering another nail into the coffin of their biggest rivals.
This used to be a powder keg fixture, but it felt like a damp squib considering what a stroll it all looked for Liverpool. Ederson’s superb save kept out a curling strike from Luis Diaz, while the visitors were denied a third when Curtis Jones’s goal was ruled out for off side.
While City waited for the VAR decision, some of Guardiola’s players could be seen in a heated exchange in the middle of the pitch. At least the effort was disallowed. Which was the best thing that happened to the fallen champions all night.
