Ilkay Gundogan scored twice as Manchester City secured a record-equalling 14th successive win in all competitions – and a first for Pep Guardiola at Anfield - with a 4-1 thrashing of struggling Liverpool. (More Football News)
The Germany midfielder made amends for a first-half penalty miss with a brace after the break as the visitors cut loose to march five points clear at the Premier League summit.
Alisson's poor clearance led to Gundogan's second of the game and the goalkeeper was also at fault for City's third, as Raheem Sterling headed in his 100th for the club under Guardiola. Phil Foden rubbed salt in the home side's wounds with a superb solo goal to round out the scoring.
The result leaves Liverpool's title defence in tatters; they have lost three successive league games at home for the first time since 1963 and sit 10 points back having played a game more than the leaders.
Mohamed Salah did end a home league goal drought spanning 410 minutes when he converted a penalty having been pulled back by Ruben Dias, but Alisson’s errors helped City respond in emphatic fashion.
There was little sign of the drama to come during a tepid first half, Gundogan failing to convert from 12 yards out as he skied his attempt from the spot into the empty Kop following Fabinho's foul on Sterling.
However, Gundogan's tap-in finish in the 49th minute sparked the game into life, not too long after fireworks had gone off outside the ground.
Salah's equaliser offered Liverpool a way back in as he punished Dias for not dealing with a long ball, but Alisson's blunders at the other end – the Brazilian goalkeeper twice gifted possession straight to City players – sunk any hopes of the Reds kick-starting their season.
Gundogan and Sterling both benefited before Foden cut in from out wide to produce a thumping shot to cap a first City win at the ground since May 2003.
