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Liverpool inflict season's first EPL defeat on Man City

Juergen Klopp's men leapfrog Chelsea to go third after 4-3 win at Anfield

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Liverpool condemned Manchester City to their first Premier League defeat of the season on Monday morning (Jan 15, Singapore time).

Reds manager Juergen Klopp sent out an attack-minded line-up and was rewarded with a scintillating 4-3 win at a jubilant Anfield.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s ninth-minute strike was cancelled out by Leroy Sane’s goal 10 minutes before half-time, but three goals in nine scintillating minutes from Roberto Firmino (59th), Sadio Mane (61st) and Mohamed Salah (68th) stunned Pep Guardiola’s men.

Two late goals gave City hope but they fell just short in their desperate bid to keep their unbeaten run going.

The result means that City remain 15 points clear of second-placed Manchester United at the top of the Premier League table ahead of United’s match at home to struggling Stoke on Tuesday morning (Singapore time). Liverpool leapfrog Chelsea into third spot.

Klopp’s side, in their first match since Philippe Coutinho left to join Barcelona, showed they still have enviable depth in attack, taking the lead in the ninth minute when Oxlade-Chamberlain marauded forward and thundered a shot past City stopper Ederson.

The home side held onto their lead until five minutes before half-time, when Sane gathered a raking cross-field ball from Kyle Walker and beat Loris Karius at his near post with a rasping left-foot shot that the Liverpool keeper should have saved.

Guardiola’s team looked in control after the break before Liverpool’s goal glut.

Firmino dinked a clever shot in off the post following a through-ball by Oxlade-Chamberlain and just two minutes later, Mane smashed a shot into the top corner to make it 3-1.

With City rocking, Mohamed Salah scored Liverpool’s fourth with a left-footed shot from more than 35 metres out after Ederson had misplaced a clearance.

City scored late through Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Guendogan but ran out of time in their search for a dramatic equaliser.

Said Klopp: "To score four in the week after Phil Coutinho leaves the club is a big statement. To concede three goals was not too cool but as a manager, if you play football like we do, the rest will come. For tonight it’s perfect – that's a fair result."– AFP

liverpoolmanchester cityMohamed SalahRoberto FirminoSadio Mane