Manchester City defeated Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield on Sunday, with goals from Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki. The win kept City at the top of the Premier League after a perfect start and silenced a hostile crowd. The match was played in front of boos and angry chants as the club faced its first game since an independent commission found it guilty of 114 breaches of the league’s financial rules.
The hosts were reduced to ten men after Ryan Gravenberch was sent off in the 62nd minute for a second booking following a foul on Doku. City steadied the pressure and took control. Three minutes after the dismissal Haaland struck a left‑footed shot past Alisson, assisted by a deflected attempt from Doku. Doku added a long‑range goal in the 68th minute, and Cherki sealed the result with a finish in the 78th minute after a pass from Josko Gvardiol.
Haaland told Sky Sports that the moment would stay with the team for a long time and urged the squad to stay strong and stick together. Midfielder Elliot Anderson praised the unity displayed on the pitch, saying they had fought for each other and played well. The Liverpool supporters departed the stadium chanting “Going down!” in reference to City’s potential relegation, a claim the club has denied and is appealing.
Defiant celebrations followed, with Haaland and manager Enzo Maresca waving fists and City fans waving inflatable bananas, a tradition from the club’s time outside the top flight. Maresca becomes only the fourth manager to win each of his first six Premier League matches, joining Guardiola, Ancelotti and Solskjaer. Despite the victory, uncertainty remains over City’s future as the fallout from the financial‑rules verdict raises questions about the club’s next steps.
