HENRY WINTER: Manchester City’s Anfield Victory Reveals Hidden Strengths Behind Their Controversial Triumph

City dealt with the brief storm from Liverpool at the start of the second half. Gianluigi Donnarumma saved from Koumas and Gravenberch, whose red card just after the hour changed the game. The Dutch midfielder, Liverpool’s best player, had already been booked, slightly harshly, for a challenge on Anderson. So he was playing a risky game when impeding the breaking Doku, who had just come on for Iliman Ndiaye. Chris Kavanagh reached for yellow then red.

City reached for the exposed Liverpool jugular. Doku was unstoppable on the left. Within two minutes of going down to 10 men, Liverpool went a goal down. Doku crossed from the left, the ball deflected off Mac Allister and was met with brutal force by Haaland.

Three minutes on, Doku cut in from the left, and curled a beauty past Alisson. Ten minutes further on, and City conjured up the goal of the game, a goal that celebrated all that is good about Cherki. He linked with Anderson, then Josko Gvardiol, sat Jeremie Frimpong down and stroked City’s third past Alisson. City returned three points clear at the top. But what does it mean?

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6