Liverpool surged to a nine-point lead at the top of the Premier League after defeating Manchester City 2-0 at Anfield, deepening the crisis for Pep Guardiola’s side.
The win, which came on the back of Cody Gakpo’s first-half goal and a late Mohamed Salah penalty, pushed Liverpool nine points ahead of second-placed Arsenal, while Manchester City fell further behind, now sitting 11 points adrift in fifth place.
The loss marked a new low for City, who have now lost four consecutive Premier League matches, a run they have not experienced since 2008.
This is also the first time in Premier League history that the defending champions have gone on such a poor run immediately after securing the title.
In the 32 years of Premier League history, only three teams have managed to recover from an 11-point deficit to win the title, and City’s chances of doing so this season look slim.
Despite Guardiola’s history of orchestrating remarkable comebacks, this deficit is proving too much for City, who have never managed to win the league after falling behind by more than 10 points.
The defeat also extended City’s winless streak to seven matches, marking their longest such run under Guardiola’s management.
The disappointment at City was evident as Liverpool fans taunted Guardiola, chanting “you’re getting sacked in the morning.”
In response, Guardiola held up six fingers to remind them of the number of titles he has won with City.
Since taking over from Jurgen Klopp in the summer, Arne Slot has led Liverpool to 18 wins in their last 20 matches across all competitions, with 11 of those coming in the Premier League.
The Reds are now clear favorites to claim the title for the first time since 2020.
Guardiola made a surprising decision to start Stefan Ortega in goal ahead of Ederson, but it was a choice that backfired early.
Just 12 minutes into the match, City’s defense was caught out as Salah fired a shot towards the far post, allowing Gakpo to score from close range.
With Liverpool continuing their strong form, City’s chances of recovering from their poor start to the season appear increasingly slim.
