It was a tense finish at Anfield, but in the end, Liverpool took the three points.
Manchester City, unbeaten all season in their league campaign at kick off, were never in the lead. Leroy Sané cancelled out Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s opener shortly before half-time, but this was as good as it got for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Goals from Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mo Salah – each one superbly taken – saw Liverpool race into a 4-1 lead after the break. Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan’s goals ensured a nervy final couple of minutes, but the home side saw it through – no wonder Jürgen Klopp couldn’t stop himself swearing in his post-match interview.
Although much of the talk will be about Liverpool’s goals, their determination to press City, limiting the time and space in which they had to play their football, was one of the features of their performance. Perhaps the moment that summed up this approach better than any other came from left-back, Andy Robertson.
We’d love to show you, but Premier League broadcasting rights mean we’d get in bother if we did. Instead, these screen-grabbed images will have to do for now.
With 15 minutes to play, Bernardo Silva received the ball close to the halfway line, by the touchline near to the dugouts. Robertson pushed up to make sure the Portuguese was not allowed to turn, forcing him to play the ball back to right back, Kyle Walker.
The 23-year-old didn’t stop there, continuing to press the ball as it arrived with Walker, who played it on to John Stones.
Now at this point, few would have been surprised if the former Hull defender eased off, and started thinking about dropping back into position… but no. On he went.
The ball went back to Ederson in the City goal…
And then across to Nicolas Otamendi. Still Robertson continued to chase after it, finding himself on the opposite side of the field to where a left-back should be.
Though it ended when he was deemed to have fouled Otamendi, the Scottish international’s efforts were thoroughly appreciated by the Liverpool supporters, who could soon be heard singing his name in the Anfield stands.
