2 days Ago By Irishexaminer.com
Liverpool 2 Man City 0 Arne Slot hailed "a near perfect" performance by Liverpool as Pep Guardiola remained defiant as he faced up to two unwanted 'firsts' in his managerial career. Never in his 16 years as a boss of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City has Guardiola experienced a run of seven games without a win - six of them defeats. And never before has the Catalan, who is rightly hailed the best manager in the world had to endure chants from opposition fans of "you're getting sacked in the morning!" That was the Anfield crowd's amusing and vociferous verdict as City's crisis deepened following their defeat to a dominant and superior Liverpool team.
Guardiola responded by holding up six fingers to the crowd - to indicate how many championships he has won, including four on the trot - but it is Slot who looks clear favourite to end that run after his 18th win in 20 games in all competitions since taking over from Jurgen Klopp in the summer. Slot said: "We weren't perfect but we came close to perfection. If you want to win against City you have to be perfect in every part of the game: high press, low press, build-up.
That's the only way to beat a quality team like City. They cause you so many problems. If you look at our work-rate I think that was perfect.
" "We are a very competitive team and it is difficult to beat us. But we have to put the effort in and the players are doing that." The Dutchman admitted that Liverpool's almost perfect start to his tenure as manager has taken him by surprise, adding: "I don't think anyone, including me, would have predicted this [start].
I knew Jurgen [Klopp] left the team in a very good place. But still, to win so much with all the difficult teams we have played already is not something you could predict at the start of the season." The only thing not perfect about Liverpool's performance was the fact that only scored two goals from a plethora of chances.
In the end they had toe satisfied with an early close range effort by Cody Gakpo, from Mo Salah's cross, and then a 78th minute penalty from the in-form Salah, who has now has 19 'goal involvements' in the Premier League this season - seven assists on top of his 12 goals. Guardiola smiled when he was asked about the "sacked in the morning chants" saying: "I respect the Liverpool fans - that's football!" But he's not laughing about City's problems. They look a shadow of their former selves and Guardiola demanded they re-set a season when their title hopes look over after just 13 games.
They are already 11 points behind a Liverpool team who he admitted totally deserved their victory. He said: "I congratulate Liverpool, they deserve the victory and we accept the situation right now and we'll build from that. "The first 15-20 minutes they were unstoppable, they started so strong, we tried to play with a lot of control and passes, but it was difficult to take it.
"They deserved the first goal, but we played well in the second half without too much threat. I know how strong Liverpool are in both boxes. "It is difficult to believe this run.
But I rely a lot on these players. We will re-start the season, start from zero, try and make a good run and we'll see what happens by the end of the season." City could have been ahead even before Gakpo's 12th minute goal.
Goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, who came in for the dropped Ederson, had already made fine saves from Gakpo, Dominic Szoboszlai and Virgil Van Dijk when a superb long pass by Trent Alexander-Arnold from deep in his own half set Salah running free on the right. The Egyptian international cut in before delivering a superb cross to the far post where the ball was bundled in by Gakpo. Gakpo then lifted a good chance over the bar and although City finally weathered the storm it still took them 39 minutes to make an attempt on goal when Rico Lewis stabbed a shot just wide.
And at the break about the only positive they could take was that they were only 1-0 down and still in the game. Liverpool started the second half as they did the first. A last-ditch tackle by Nunes stopped Gakpo from profiting on Andy Robertson's super pass and from the corner Van Dijk glanced a header just over the bar.
Salah should have made it 2-0 when he robbed Manuel Akanji and was left with a one-on-one with Ortega but lifted his shot over the bar. With City still failing to pose a goal threat and top scorer Erling Haaland hardly getting a touch, Guardiola sent on wingers Jeremy Doku and Savinho to give his team some attacking impetus. But although City enjoyed more possession in the second half, Liverpool still carried the greater threat although they had to wait until the 78th minute to kill the game.
Salah, who missed a penalty in midweek against Real Madrid, made no mistake from the spot this time after Ortega had felled Luis Diaz following more City defensive calamity. Van Dijk almost blotted a fine display by gifting a late chance to Kevin De Bruyne and was indebted to Caoimhin Kelleher for stopping the City sub from grabbing a consolation. A 2-1 score line would have done scant justice to Liverpool's superiority in every department.
Liverpool (4-4-3): Kelleher 7; Alexander-Arnold 7 Quansah 72, 5), Gomez 7, Van Dijk 9, Robertson 7; Szoboszlai 8, Gravenberch 8, Mac Allister 7; Salah 8 (Jones 83,5), Diaz 6 (Elliot 90), Gakpo 7 (Nunez 72, 5). Unused subs: Jaros, Davies, Endo, Morton, Nyoni. Booked: Gravenberch.
Goals: Gakpo 12, Salah pen 78. Man City (4--3-3) : Otega 5, Walker 5, Dias 5, Akanji 5 , Ake 5; Lewis 5 (Grealish 75, 5), Gundogan 5 (Savinho 57, 5), Silva 5; Foden 4 (De Bruyne 75, 5), Haaland 4, Nunes 4 (Doku 57, 5). Unused subs: Ederson, Carson, Gvardiol, O'Reilly, McAtee.
Booked: Nunes, Foden, Akanji Referee : Chris Kavanagh 8..
