Manchester City suffered a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on December 1, which saw the Reds extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to nine points, while City dropped to fifth place with 23 points from 13 matches. Despite both teams starting the match with solid intent, Liverpool took control early on with Cody Gakpo scoring in the 12th minute, assisted by Mohamed Salah.
City struggled throughout the game, managing just one shot on target in the first half and failing to break down Liverpool’s defense. Pep Guardiola made early substitutions in the second half, bringing on Savinho and Jeremy Doku, but City continued to struggle despite dominating possession. Liverpool sealed their win with a penalty in the second half after Stefan Ortega fouled Luis Diaz, and Salah converted to make it 2-0.
Manchester City Player Ratings:
- Stefan Ortega (7/10): Made five saves but conceded a penalty.
- Kyle Walker (6.5/10): Struggled defensively, dispossessed 11 times.
- Ruben Dias (6.5/10): Made six clearances and one block, but won only one duel.
- Manuel Akanji (6.5/10): Subpar performance, booked late in the first half.
- Nathan Ake (7/10): Solid defensive display with key tackles and a last-man clearance.
- Bernardo Silva (7/10): Good individual performance, completed two dribbles and six duels won.
- Ilkay Gundogan (6.5/10): Competent in midfield but not impactful.
- Rico Lewis (7/10): Good passing accuracy, but lacked key passes or crosses.
- Phil Foden (6/10): Poor performance off the ball, dispossessed 12 times.
- Matheus Nunes (6/10): Ineffective on the left flank, did not create chances.
- Erling Haaland (6.5/10): Struggled to get into the game, marked out by Van Dijk and Gomez.
Substitutes:
- Jeremy Doku (7/10): Added energy and effort after coming on.
- Savinho (6.5/10): Average performance after replacing Gundogan.
- Jack Grealish (6.5/10): Could not make an impact after coming on.
- Kevin De Bruyne (6.5/10): Failed to turn the game in City’s favor after his introduction.
Guardiola’s men will be looking to end their seven-game winless streak as they prepare for their next challenge.
