Manchester City did not let a looming legal disaster distract them on the pitch. In their first match since being found guilty of breaking more than 100 Premier League financial rules, Enzo Maresca’s side silenced a furious Anfield crowd with a commanding 3-0 victory over Liverpool. Second-half goals from Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, and Rayan Cherki secured the points, but the real drama unfolded in the stands and the history books.
A Hostile Anfield Welcome
The atmosphere on Merseyside was always going to be tense. Liverpool fans lined the streets, shouting “cheats” and “going down” as the City bus arrived under police escort. Inside the stadium, banners in the iconic Kop end read “a generation of supporters cheated.” This bitter rivalry was forged during years of tight title races between Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp. Liverpool finished runners-up to City three times over the last twelve years, and their fans felt robbed.
“There are so many moments and memories we can’t get back,” Liverpool supporter Martin Reilly, 23, said. “They have to throw the book at them.”
City Shrug Off Off-Field Drama
Just days before kick-off, an independent commission ruled that City’s Emirati owners had arranged “sham” sponsorship deals to artificially inflate revenues by more than £900 million ($1.2 billion) between 2009 and 2018. While City plan to appeal, the threat of expulsion from the Premier League or a massive points deduction still hangs over them. For now, though, they remain three points clear at the top of the table.
On the pitch, Liverpool struggled. New manager Andoni Iraola was already missing injured key players like Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexander Isak, and Cody Gakpo. The home side had one brief moment of hope early in the second half when young Lewis Koumas, making his first Premier League start, forced a sharp save from City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. But that was as good as it got for the hosts.
The Red Card and the Collapse
The game swung decisively when Maresca brought Jeremy Doku off the bench. Within minutes, the Belgian winger was brought down by Ryan Gravenberch. The Liverpool midfielder was shown a harsh second yellow card, leaving his team to play with ten men. Liverpool never recovered.
Doku’s deflected shot soon fell perfectly for Erling Haaland, who smashed it past Alisson Becker to break the deadlock 25 minutes from time. Three minutes later, Doku got his own name on the scoresheet, curling a brilliant strike into the top corner. Rayan Cherki put the final nail in the coffin, playing a quick one-two with Josko Gvardiol before slipping the ball under Alisson.
“We Showed Courage”
City midfielder Eliot Anderson praised his team’s resolve after the match. “We have shown togetherness and fight,” Anderson said. “This is a tough place to come and we have shown courage.”
He admitted the Anfield crowd was louder than usual. “Arriving and the first 10 minutes of the first half, but we quietened the crowd and improved in the second half. During the game you can feel it, and it is a game where you have to stick together and we did.”
City keep winning on the pitch, but their biggest fight of the season remains in the courtroom.