Liverpool 2-0 Manchester City: Salah piles more misery on Guardiola´s side

Mohamed Salah scored one and set up another as Liverpool marched 11 points clear of Manchester City with a 2-0 victory over Pep Guardiola’s out-of-form side at Anfield.

Salah, who had previously squandered a great chance to double Liverpool’s lead, made sure of the points from the penalty spot after Stefan Ortega had fouled Luis Diaz.

The Egyptian star set up Liverpool’s early opener, picking out Cody Gakpo with a superb low cross.

Liverpool’s dominance rarely looked under threat as they also struck the woodwork twice in the first half, with Kevin De Bruyne failing to convert from City’s best opportunity as the visitors lost a fourth straight league game.

Arne Slot’s side are now nine points clear at the top of the Premier League, while City are in fifth, with their hopes of retaining the title swiftly fading away.

GET IN THEREEE!!!!! #LIVMCI pic.twitter.com/NEhKA1wIhb

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 1, 2024

Data Debrief: Setting the tone

It was a dominant display from Liverpool on Sunday, helped somewhat by an off-the-pace City performance, but Slot will have no complaints about what he saw from his team.

Defensively they were strong, and the visitors’ first shot attempt did not come until the 39th minute; their longest wait for their first effort in a Premier League match since April 2010 against Arsenal (58th minute), while their first shot on target did not materialise until the 82nd.

The win means Liverpool are now nine points clear at the top of the table, their biggest margin as leaders in the competition since the final day of the 2019-20 season, when they won their last title (18 points).

Meanwhile, City have lost four consecutive Premier League games for the first time since August 2008. It is also the first time in Guardiola’s managerial career that he has lost four consecutive league matches.