Liverpool's Premier League campaign suffered a heavy blow with a 3-0 home defeat to Manchester City. The team has now taken just nine points from their opening six matches of the season.
Goals from Haaland, Doku and Cherki in the second half decided a match where Liverpool struggled for control. The hosts finished with ten men after Virgil van Dijk received a second yellow card in stoppage time, compounding a difficult afternoon that also saw Ryan Gravenberch booked twice.
A disciplined collapse
Liverpool's shape was tested from the start by City's 4-2-3-1 system, which enjoyed 65% possession. The home side's discipline unravelled after the break. Gravenberch's second booking in the 47th minute left his team vulnerable, and City capitalised. Haaland broke the deadlock after 65 minutes, with Doku adding a second just three minutes later. Cherki sealed the victory in the 78th minute, assisted by substitute Gvardiol.
The atmosphere at Anfield turned from frustration to protest as the scoreline worsened. Banners in the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand carried pointed messages, with one reading: "Until you've repaid the dreams you bought for your lies you'll be castaway alone under stormy skies." Chants from The Kop referenced the ongoing controversy surrounding City's past conduct.
Consequences and context
The result is a stark setback for a team that had shown promise in recent weeks. Before this match, Liverpool's form read three wins, one draw and one loss from their last five games. This defeat, however, drops them to ninth place.
Analyst Gary Neville highlighted the psychological weight of the result. "That is the backdrop to not knowing where these points and this season is going," Neville said. "There is going to be a 'but' all the way."
Attention now turns to a quick turnaround and a trip to face Brentford, who currently sit fourth. Slot will need to rally a squad missing several key players, with the likes of Cody Gakpo and Wataru Endo currently sidelined. The full list of absentees is available on our injuries page. Liverpool's next chance to respond comes on Saturday, 17 October, in a fixture where they have won their last three away games against the Bees, scoring an average of 2.3 goals per game in those victories.
