*Haaland, Doku, Cherki On Target
*Seven-Goal Thriller In Betis
In their first Premier League game since being found guilty of financial fraud, Manchester City on Sunday, 11 October shone like a million stars on the field, sweeping aside Liverpool away at Anfield 0-3 to consolidate the Cityzens’ hold, alone, at the top of the league.
Amid speculation about possible punishment, including a potential relegation, Manchester City carried on and responded on the pitch.
The impact caused by the Belgian Jeremy Doku’s arrival on the pitch a few minutes into the second half tilted the match in favor of Manchester City.
Their win extended the team’s perfect run of victories and frustrated Liverpool, subdued once they were reduced to 10 men, shortly before the goals, due to the second yellow shown to the Dutchman Rayan Gravenberch.
Everything turned against Liverpool midway through the second half. Andoni Iraola’s side suffered its first defeat of the season, a victim of its inferiority, the upheaval caused by Doku, and its lack of cutting edge.
It dominated for almost an hour, overwhelmed its rival, but only on a few occasions did it trouble goalie Gianluigi Donnarumma. After that, it was clearly outplayed by City.
Enzo Maresca’s side barely showed the hostility with which it was received in this modern English classic.
The ‘sky blue’ club is singled out for the blame weighing on its history of 114 breaches of financial rules in the Premier League. And that will be on the mind of every opposing fan every time the Cityzens play away from the Etihad.
No one gave anything away for many minutes. Liverpool relied on pressure, quick circulation, and intensity. And at times they pinned back their opponent, who had won everything they had played and will face Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Tuesday in the Champions League.
Maresca, the fourth manager to win his first six Premier League matches, emerged stronger after containing the good play of Víctor Muñoz on the right and of Lewis Koumas, the main “red” threats.
The clash came alive at the end of the first half. Enzo Fernández tried to catch Alisson off guard from long range and then, at the start of the second half, Donnarumma appeared to save his team in a triple chance; first from a point-blank shot by Koumas, then from another by Gravenberch, and one more.
The Sending-off That Set The Match Course
City subdued the “red” momentum from the restart after halftime until reaching the key moments following a missed chance by Erling Haaland, the clearest one. A cross-shot that went wide.
Right afterwards came the action that marked the match. With Doku already on the pitch and City in a higher gear, Liverpool were reduced to a disadvantage by a second yellow card for Gravenberch, which meant his sending-off.
Everything snowballed after that. Haaland’s goal arrived, originating from an individual move by Doku down the left.
The Belgian, unstoppable, scored the second. It was a stunning goal. He collected the ball from Elliott Anderson and looked for space. He unleashed a thunderbolt that flew into the top corner of Alisson’s goal.
Too harsh a punishment for the home side. Two goals down and a man short.
City rounded off the matchday with a third, in the 78th minute, when Rayan Cherki, another of the standout performers, showed up for the occasion.
He received a pass from Josko Gvardiol, beat every defender and the goalkeeper, and scored with the goal at his mercy.
City had thrown its own party, asserted its authority, and extended its dominance.
They hold a three-point lead over Arsenal.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Doku… ‘We don’t care about the ‘cheats’ call’, we face our game’.
RESULTS OF MATCHES PLAYED IN MAJOR EUROPEAN LEAGUES SUNDAY 11 OCTOBER:
ENGLAND: Premier League
Crystal Palace – Nottingham 3-1
Hull – Everton 2-2
Liverpool – Manchester City 0-3
FRANCE: Ligue 1
Nice – Strasbourg 2-1
Rennes – Auxerre 4-1
Troyes – Marseille 0-2
GERMANY: Bundesliga
FC Koln – B. Monchengladbach 2-1
Freiburg – Schalke 2-1
ITALY: Serie A
Como – AS Roma 0-0
Lazio – Monza 3-1
Lecce – Bologna 1-2
Sassuolo – AC Milan 1-1
Cagliari – Juventus 1-1
NETHERLANDS: Eredivisie
Utrecht – Willem II 3-1
Telstar – Den Haag 2-2
Zwolle – Cambuur 0-1
Excelsior – Groningen 1-5
SPAIN: LaLiga
Elche – Celta Vigo 0-0
Real Sociedad – Dep. A Coruna 3-2
Betis – Osasuna 5-2
Racing Santander – Valencia 2-2
