Manchester City recorded a 4-1 win over Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon to keep the pressure on Arsenal in the Premier League title race, Sportivationng.com reports.
Haaland missed out of the encounter after failing to recover from a thigh injury.
Mohammed Salah gave the visitors the lead with an emphatic finish after being teed up by Diogo Jota in the 17th minute.
GOAL! Man City 0-1 Liverpool (Salah) #MCILIV pic.twitter.com/vhZk5W8mlb
— The Premier League Club (@TPLCSports) April 1, 2023
The hosts responded ten minutes later when finished past Allison to make it 1-1 following a flowing team move.
The first half ended 1-1 and the second half produced a goal fest for Manchester City.
De Bruyne started the onslaught with the second goal from a Riyad Mahrez’s assist immediately after the restart following poor defending from Liverpool.
GOAL! Man City 2-1 Liverpool (De Bruyne) #MCILIV pic.twitter.com/pUosUG3G2K
— The Premier League Club (@TPLCSports) April 1, 2023
Few minutes later, Gundogan added the third goal after Liverpool defenders failed to clear the line.
GOAL! Man City 3-1 Liverpool (Gundogan) #MCILIV pic.twitter.com/CDJJFe8zEB
— The Premier League Club (@TPLCSports) April 1, 2023
Jack Grealish added the fourth finishing off a Kevin De Bruyne’s cut back.
GOAL! Man City 4-1 Liverpool (Grealish) #MCILIV pic.twitter.com/30EiwEewdH
— The Premier League Club (@TPLCSports) April 1, 2023
Jurgen Klopp will be disappointed with Liverpool’s defence having failed to lay a finger on Manchester City attackers, allowing them too much time and space to wreck havoc.
Guardiola hailed his team’s performance after a deserved victory.
“From the first minute until the 93rd minute, it was almost the perfect performance. Even 0-1 down, we were playing well and Jack [Grealish] made a good save to stop a potential 0-2.
“The way we played, the way we found our spaces for how they defend. Our intensity, high pressing.
“Of course, we fight to chase Arsenal and they are not used to being in this position – always in the last few years, they fight to win the Premier League and all the competitions.
Last season they were two games from a quadruple and now they are playing to be in the top four – it would be incredibly difficult for us as well.
“As a part of that, you have to perform the way we performed. We were so stable and stuck to the plan. All the players were magnificent.
“Always we have fought against Liverpool, the way they defend, the way they play is so difficult for us. But today the players were magnificent. We played really well in all departments so hats off to our players.
“Tell me one player who didn’t play well? There was no one who was not playing well.
Liverpool will be back in Premier League action with a trip to Chelsea on Tuesday, while Manchester travel Southampton on Saturday.