Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson made two bad mistakes to help Manchester City to a commanding win which extends their lead at the top of the Premier League table. We assess the individual performances of the players on show...
Monday 8 February 2021 07:09, UK
What happened? A couple of minutes, a couple of goals conceded, a couple of absolute howlers. The Liverpool goalkeeper may be one of the best in the world but his mistakes for City's match-winning double would be considered inexplicable at any level. To make one is perhaps understandable, but two? A shocker by any count.
Did well before the break, especially when going forward, but defensive frailties were exposed in the second half, most notably for City's opener when Sterling waltzed around him. Liverpool's brightest attacking spark, but his performance won't be remembered for that.
Was this the afternoon when Liverpool's bad luck with defensive injuries finally caught up with them? The Brazil international looked increasingly ill at ease as the game progressed. Fortunate to escape full punishment for his penalty-conceding foul, a lazy trailing leg which in the era of VAR was never going to pass undetected even if referee Michael Oliver had missed it, and statuesque when covering for Alexander-Arnold on City's opener.
There is an idea that Fabinho's future may already be at centre-half. There is also a passing thought that so might Henderson's. Not merely because he has been so very accomplished in his new role but because there's no obvious reason to think that he will not go on prospering in the role. The Premier League does not do brickhouse centre-forwards any more. And it certainly does a lot of possession. So could Henderson be a trailblazer for more central midfielders dropping back into defence? Perhaps. In the immediate term, the only vexing issue for Henderson is whether Liverpool are missing his intensity in midfield.
Beaten by Foden for City's fourth, although whereas Fabinho and Alexander-Arnold struggled to repel Sterling, Mahrez barely featured down Liverpool's left. Had some half-openings to create in the first half but could not find a killer cross.
An uncomfortable display will surely be followed by uncomfortable focus on whether his style of play is suiting Liverpool or perhaps even hampering it. Booked for an all-too-familiar foul in the opening minutes, Thiago then drifted into anonymity before being replaced on 67 minutes.
On the fringes. Although Liverpool's midfield was not the weak link of their display, neither did their midfield three ever wrestle control.
One of the few Liverpool players to impress. The youngster has not won over all Liverpool supporters but made an excellent covering tackle to deny Sterling a clean run through on goal early on and generally stood up well on the most elevated of stages. It was somewhat of a surprise to see him subbed at the same time as the disappointing Thiago.
So quiet prior to winning Liverpool's penalty that he may have hit the mute button. Converted the spot-kick with aplomb, but barely featured otherwise.
Did not appear to possess his usual levels of energy and only once - with a snap shot after 30 minutes that Ederson tipped - did he offer a direct threat of his own. Questions are bound to reappear about his contribution to the side when the front press is not a factor.
Liverpool's best attacker, although that is not saying much on an afternoon when the 'fab three' fell flat.
The City goalkeeper got off to a shaky start when he kicked the ball straight to Mane inside the first couple of minutes but was reliable as ever when Firmino drove at him on the half-hour mark. Sent the wrong way by Salah for the penalty-kick but otherwise largely untroubled by Liverpool's attack.
Continued to drift infield in his unique right-back role but was below his usual level in his one-on-ones, allowing Mane to get a yard on him for a first-half header before fouling the same player to give up a dangerous free-kick, and then lost a duel with Jones that led to the midfielder going close.
Strong in the air and kept busy clearing the Liverpool crosses into the box, Stones increased in confidence through the game and even showed off some of his trademark bursts out of defence with the ball in the second half. Thought he had put City back in front with their second but had just strayed offside.
Dias was at his imperious best for the first hour of the game, coolly cutting out an early counter-attack from Jones, but he fluffed an interception and then pulled Salah down for the penalty which pulled Liverpool level. It could have been a costly mistake if City's attack - and Alisson's errors - had not helped turn it around.
Alexander-Arnold may have had problems on the back foot but he had joy attacking Zinchenko, notably beating him to cross for a Mane chance. There was a sloppy touch which handed Liverpool a corner in the first half but he improved in the second and put in a steady performance to halt the threat down that side.
After the awful penalty miss in the first half, Gundogan's delight at reprieving himself with his close-range double was plain to see. He suffered an early injury when fouled from behind by Thiago and seemed subdued in the first period, but he was back to his old self after the break, demonstrating his new-found eye for goal.
It was his industry rather than his inventiveness which was on show during the first half, when he topped the running and tackling stats, and his pressing may have encouraged Alisson's second bad blunder of the match when the Liverpool keeper gave it to him in the second half. But there was then Silva's artistry on show as he lobbed the ball over the keeper for Sterling to nod in the third. A committed performance, whether in midfield or pushed up top.
Rodri put in a typically methodical performance in possession and was almost perfect with his passing accuracy in the first half but he was also effective in defence, topping the stats for regaining possession.
Deployed on the right of a three-man attack in the first half and then a wider role in the second, Mahrez struggled to trouble Liverpool's Robertson. His 91 per cent passing accuracy in the first half hinted at his - and City's - cautious approach. Subbed off on 73 minutes.
A classy performance from a classy player - and what a gem City have developed. It was his saved shot which came out for Gundogan's opener but City's second owed plenty to the brilliance of Foden, after Alisson had given it to him. He glided past a couple of Liverpool defenders to tee up his team-mate. Not long after he got himself on the scoresheet with a thumping strike after cutting in from the right. The false nine position of the first half was a challenge - he did not quite have the legs to complete a solo counter-attack - but in and around the box he's so dangerous.
At times in the first half he was forced right back into his own box to help out defensively but coming in off the left flank he gave Alexander-Arnold a wretched time. He won the penalty off Fabinho after skipping past his England team-mate and repeated the trick in the second half in the build-up to City's opener. Deserved his tap-in to make it three.
Gabriel Jesus - 6
