As It Happened: Manchester City 5-0 Liverpool

Hello, and welcome to Nigerianeye's live coverage of the match in the Premier League between Manchester City and Liverpool.


Two of the contenders for the league title have started the season without experiencing defeat in three games, and a win for either side at the Etihad Stadium would take them to the top of the standings.

City are competing in just their second home fixture of the season, with their first ending in a 1-1 draw with Liverpool's Merseyside neighbours Everton.

Liverpool are on their travels for the third time this campaign, with their previous two trips to Watford and Hoffenheim also ending in stalemate.

OFFICIAL LINE-UPS

LIVERPOOL: Mignolet; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Klavan, Moreno; Can, Henderson, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane
LIVERPOOL SUBSTITUTES: Karius, Lovren, Gomez, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Solanke, Sturridge.

MANCHESTER CITY SUBSTITUTES: Bravo, Gundogan, Mangala, Sane, Bernardo, Foden, Delph
MANCHESTER CITY: Ederson; Danilo, Stones, Otamendi; Fernandinho, Walker, De Bruyne, D.Silva, Mendy; Aguero, Jesus









The full-time whistle goes at the Etihad Stadium and City have ran out extremely convincing 5-0 winners over 10-man Liverpool. The course of the game was changed with the sending off of Mane, but the home side were full value for their victory. They now sit at the top of the table. Thanks for joining our live coverage of the match!


90+2 min FULL TIME: Manchester City 5-0 Liverpool

90+1 min Sane nets a stunning fifth with a 25-yard curler into the top corner. Game over.

90+1 min GOAL! Manchester City 5-0 Liverpool (Sane)

90 min There will be two minutes of added-on time.

87 min CHANCE! Yet another fine save from Mignolet to deny Aguero, who should score from inside the six-yard box after meeting a low cross from the left. Based on this form, it may be some time before Mignolet is dropped again by Klopp.

83 min CHANCE! Aguero has been quiet since Jesus's withdrawal but he reacts quickly when a ball goes loose in the penalty area, only to direct his effort high and wide of the near post.

80 min BOOKING! What a pointless yellow card. Can dives in on Aguero in the corner and the referee correctly hands him a booking.

77 min City finally net their fourth of the afternoon and it is Sane who nets his first of the season. The winger plays in Mendy down the left before meeting the defender's cross and converting at the near post.

77 min GOAL! Manchester City 4-0 Liverpool (Sane)

72 min SAVE! Mignolet has had little chance with any of the goals, while making several fine saves to keep the score down. Matip deflects a cross towards his own net, but the Liverpool goalkeeper dives to his right to keep the ball out.

71 min SUBSTITUTION! There's not a whole lot going on but we are going to see a rare appearance from Eliaquim Mangala, who replaces Otamendi.

67 min SUBSTITUTION! A final alteration for Liverpool sees Dominic Solanke given some more minutes in the first team. Firmino is the man to make way.

65 min CHANCE! De Bruyne deserves a goal and the Belgian should probably have one here. Sane finds his teammate with a low cross to the left of the penalty spot, but De Bruyne fires a first-time effort over the crossbar.

62 min Both managers - even some of the players - are already thinking about the Champions League fixtures in midweek. This game is over as a contest. It is effectively attack versus defence.

58 min SUBSTITUTION! Klopp also decides to make a switch, with James Milner coming on for Wijnaldum.

57 min SUBSTITUTION! City make their first change as Leroy Sane replaces Jesus. The forward may have been on a hat-trick but he was in South America only a few days ago. Sensible from Guardiola.

56 min There's absolutely no let up from City. Mendy is becoming increasingly involved down the left and his low cross almost finds its targetat the back post, only for Mignolet to get down to claim the ball.

53 min This could get ugly for Liverpool. Fernandinho threads the ball through to Aguero, who can probably score himself but decides to pass to Jesus, who has the simple task of converting from close range.

53 min GOAL! Manchester City 3-0 Liverpool (Jesus)

51 min Liverpool are going to have to force the issue if they are to get back into this fixture but at the same time, they cannot afford to leave too much space in defence. De Bruyne has been on song today and both Jesus and Aguero look in the mood for more goals.

48 min It's been a rather sedate start to the second half. Aguero had one chance to get a shot away but Firmino got back to make a very good challenge.

46 min City get us back underway.


The half-time whistle goes at the Etihad Stadium and City are in full control of this game. Not only do they lead thanks to goals from Aguero and Jesus, Liverpool are down to 10 men after the controversial dismissal of Mane. This may become a damage limitation job for the visitors.


45+9 min HALF TIME: Manchester City 2-0 Liverpool

45+6 min Liverpool have conceded before the break. It's more brilliant play from De Bruyne, who sends in an inswinging cross for Jesus to head home from no more than eight yards out. Mignolet had no chance.

45+6 min GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Liverpool (Jesus)

45+3 min City have the ball in the net after Jesus heads in De Bruyne's cross, but the Brazilian is a yard offside. Big moments in this game. Liverpool cannot afford to concede a second before the break.

45 min SUBSTITUTION! Claudio Bravo is being introduced for Ederson. There will be eight minutes of added-on time.

40 min Ederson is still receiving treatment and it appears that he will need to be substituted. Regardless, it is not a red card. It is going to be a big ask for Liverpool from here.

37 min RED CARD! Mane is sent clear on goal but Ederson beats him to a high ball and takes a boot to his face. It's accidental and he is only after the ball, but the referee dishes out a red card. Ridiculous decision.

35 min CHANCE! For the second time within a minute, Mignolet keeps Liverpool in this game. The ball fell to Stones after Liverpool failed to deal with the corner, but the defender's low shot was kept out by the foot of the goalkeeper.

34 min CHANCE! Klavan makes a mistake near the touchline and Jesus nearly takes full advantage. The Brazilian fights his way into the penalty area before being denied by a brilliant save by Mignolet at his near post.

31 min CHANCE! Mane plays in Salah who is through one-on-one with Ederson, albeit at an angle. However, the Egyptian makes his intentions too obvious, and the goalkeeper is able to dive to his right to make the save.

29 min SHOT! Can pulls rank over Alexander-Arnold but sends a woeful effort wide of the post.

28 min BOOKING! Mane is given the freedom to glide towards the City defence and Fernandinho has little option but to foul him. Liverpool have a free kick from 20 yards out.

25 min City make the breakthrough and it is Aguero who has gotten on the scoresheet. De Bruyne threads a precise through-ball to the Argentine, who rounds Mignolet and slots into an empty net. Simple.

25 min GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Liverpool (Aguero)

22 min Salah has effectively got a free run down the right whenever he wants it. Otamendi is a passenger. However, after breaking into the penalty area, his low cross went straight into the grateful hands of Ederson.

20 min BOOKING! Alexander-Arnold somewhat inevitably goes into the book for a foul on De Bruyne. It's in a similar position to where Otamendi upended Salah at the other end. De Bruyne also started brandishing an imaginary yellow card, which wasn't good to see.

17 min It would be naive to just focus on the attacking football on show in this game. Liverpool are exploiting the gaps which Guardiola has failed to fill, while Guardiola is looking for a solution to keep things tighter at the back. Liverpool are shading this at the moment.

13 min SHOT! Fernandinho is one of City's most defensive players this afternoon but he is still far enough forward to drive a low shot towards the corner, with Mignolet being forced to tip the ball behind.

12 min It has been a shaky start from Alexander-Arnold. He has been warned for taking too long with throw-ins and shortly after that, a wayward back-pass went out for a corner.

11 min The action has quietened down a touch but still, this is bubbling up nicely. Both teams look like they are going to score every time they attack.

7 min SHOT! Already, there's an end-to-end feel to this game. This time, it's De Bruyne who gets a shot away but it is a comfortable save for Mignolet.

6 min BOOKING! A mistake from Otamendi lets in Salah and the Argentine decides to foul the winger on the edge of the penalty area. Simple call for the referee.

4 min Back come City, with Jesus glancing a header wide from a De Bruyne free kick. However, the effort was from around 16 yards out so it didn't threaten Mignolet's goal.

2 min It's been an imposing start from Liverpool who have wasted no time in trying to get behind the wing-backs. A Moreno shot earns an early corner, but Ederson claims the delivery.

1 min Liverpool get us underway.