Firmino, Mane and Salah make fools out of Manchester City defence with glorious treble

Matthew Gault

Aaaand breathe.

Manchester City’s defence capitulated in spectacular fashion in the second-half at Anfield as Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah struck three glorious goals in the space of a breathless nine-minute spell to put Liverpool 4-1 up.

With the score locked at 1-1 (after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s opener and Leroy Sane’s equaliser), Firmino got the better of John Stones before chipping Ederson to get the Reds back in front. Then, just two minutes later, sloppy City defending allowed Mane to steal in and fire a thunderous effort into the top corner and send the Kop into a frenzy at the feeling of a two-goal cushion.

Then, with City in pieces, they committed another horrible error with Ederson clearing the ball straight to Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian winger’s finish was, as we’ve come to expect, simply sensational, lifting the ball into the empty net from 40 yards for his 18th league goal of the season.

Bernardo Silva struck with six minutes remaining before Gundogan also found the net to make it 4-3 but it was not enough to stop Jurgen Klopp’s rampant Reds ending Manchester City’s long unbeaten run after a frenetic seven-goal thriller.

City remain 15 points clear of Manchester United while Liverpool draw level with Jose Mourinho’s second-placed side, who host managerless Stoke City at Old Trafford on Monday night.

Slick as fuck Bobby Firminho #LIVMCI #YNWA

— Killeavy13 (@StevenMcD13) January 14, 2018

Wow. 2 goals in 2 minutes for Liverpool. Huge error from Otamendi, sensationally struck by Mané.

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) January 14, 2018

Sorry. Firmino ‘s goal wasn’t that good. Cause a man called Mane just made an even better one

— Jan Aage Fjørtoft 🇳🇴 (@JanAageFjortoft) January 14, 2018

SALAH, MANE, MANE, BOBBY FIRMINIO, BUT WE SOLD COUTINHO, CAUSE WE GOT SALAH, MANE, MANE, BOBBY FIRMINIO, BUT WE SOLD COUTINHO

— Killeavy13 (@StevenMcD13) January 14, 2018

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