LIVERPOOL — Manchester City extended their faultless start to the Premier League season on Sunday, ruthlessly capitalizing on a second-half red card to defeat Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield. A tight, attritional contest swung irreversibly in the 62nd minute when Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch was dismissed for a second bookable offense, paving the way for a devastating three-goal blitz from the visitors.
According to pre-match coverage from OneFootball, Liverpool entered Matchday 6 unbeaten in seven fixtures across all competitions under head coach Andoni Iraola, seeking to test a Manchester City squad that arrived atop the table with a perfect 15 points from five matches.
Frantic Early Exchanges and Goalkeeping Heroics
Liverpool set the early tempo, dominating possession and probing through winger Victor Muñoz, who forced Gianluigi Donnarumma into the game’s first notable save with a low drive from distance. Manchester City gradually established composure through Elliot Anderson in midfield, though chances remained scarce in a tense first half that finished goalless.
The intensity spiked immediately after the interval. Donnarumma was called upon to make sharp, consecutive stops against Lewis Koumas and Gravenberch as Liverpool threatened to break the deadlock. Looking for greater incision in wide areas, City manager Enzo Maresca introduced Jeremy Doku for Iliman Ndiaye in the 56th minute, a tactical switch that swiftly changed the complexion of the match.
The Turning Point and Three-Goal Burst
The decisive moment arrived just past the hour mark. Doku beat Gravenberch on the flank, drawing a mistimed tackle from behind that left refereeing officials with little choice but to show the Dutch midfielder his second yellow card. As detailed by match analysis from Esteemed Kompany, the hosts were unable to reorganize before City punished them in transition.
Just three minutes after the dismissal, Doku’s blocked effort deflected across the penalty area into the path of Erling Haaland, who volleyed past Alisson from ten yards out. In the 68th minute, Doku doubled the advantage himself, cutting inside defender Ronald Araújo to curl an unstoppable strike into the far corner.
City added a third in the 78th minute through an intricate sequence involving Doku, Anderson, and substitute Josko Gvardiol, whose deft backheel allowed Rayan Cherki to slip a composed finish past Alisson.
Title Race Implications and Next Steps
The result gives Manchester City six wins from six league matches and extends their winning streak to eight games across all competitions. For Liverpool, the defeat halts an encouraging run of three consecutive clean sheets in the domestic campaign and leaves Iraola with tactical questions regarding his side’s resilience when down to ten men.