Honestly, I believe Manchester City would still have won this game even if Ryan Gravenberch had not received that red card. Of course, playing against ten men gave City more space and made things easier for them, but from what I saw, City were already showing enough quality to hurt Liverpool.
Source
One thing that stood out to me was the difference between the two teams going forward. Manchester City looked more dangerous whenever they moved into attacking positions, and they were creating opportunities. Liverpool, on the other hand, struggled to make their attacking play count. Their attack looked toothless for most of the game, and I expected more from them, especially playing in front of their own supporters at Anfield.
I won't take anything away from Liverpool because facing Manchester City is never an easy task. However, when you are playing at home in such a big game, you need to show more ambition and make life difficult for your opponent. Unfortunately, Liverpool didn't do enough in the attacking areas to convince me that they could take all three points and that's a result of their key attackers absence in Isak and Gakpo.
That said, I still believe the game could have been much closer if both teams had finished with eleven players. The red card changed the dynamics of the contest, and City's ability to take advantage of that situation deserves credit. Football is full of moments like this, and a red card is part of the game. Liverpool have to accept what happened and find a way to respond.
But for me, Jeremy Doku was one of the biggest difference-makers in this match. Coming off the bench and immediately bringing that energy, pace, and directness was impressive. He gave Liverpool's defence another problem to deal with, and his goal was a fantastic finish. Sometimes, a substitute does not just add fresh legs but they completely change the way a game is played. I think Doku did exactly that.
Erling Haaland also deserves credit for taking his opportunity and opening the scoring at such an important moment, while Rayan Cherki's contribution added the finishing touch to City's impressive victory.
For Manchester City, this is a massive result, and I think it sends a strong message to the rest of the Premier League. They are playing with confidence and looking dangerous in attack.
As for Liverpool, they have plenty to think about, particularly their attacking performance.
What do you think? Would Manchester City have beaten Liverpool with eleven players on each side, or did Gravenberch's red card decide everything?
Posted Using INLEO
