Liverpool red card opens door for Manchester City as Doku transforms Anfield contest

Liverpool promise meets Manchester City resistance

Manchester City turned a finely balanced contest into a commanding position at Anfield, scoring three times after Ryan Gravenberch’s dismissal left Liverpool struggling to contain their visitors.

Erling Haaland supplied the breakthrough, Jérémy Doku added a spectacular second and Rayan Cherki finished a flowing move with the composure that increasingly distinguished City’s football. FotMob’s supplied live commentary ends after 88 minutes with the visitors leading 3-0, rather than with confirmation of the final whistle.

Until the red card, the afternoon had offered possibilities for both teams. Liverpool threatened through Víctor Muñoz’s pace and a burst of pressure after half-time. City gradually established themselves, then punished the spaces that appeared against ten men.

Liverpool were missing Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai, with Lewis Koumas making his first Premier League start. Those absences reduced Andoni Iraola’s attacking options, but his side initially approached the occasion with energy.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Jamie Carragher identified the visitors’ early challenge: “These Manchester City players will need to show real courage on the ball because Liverpool will get after them.”

Missed opportunities keep first half goalless

Muñoz repeatedly tested Nico O’Reilly down Liverpool’s right, while Gravenberch carried the ball through midfield with confidence. Jérémy Jacquet also made important interventions when City threatened to break forward.

Yet the final pass rarely matched the urgency of the approach. Florian Wirtz overhit an early ball towards Miloš Kerkez, and Liverpool struggled to convert promising positions into clear chances.

City’s influence grew through Elliot Anderson, whose work in midfield helped them emerge from the initial pressure. Cherki and Enzo Fernández became more involved, although Haaland remained largely isolated.

Gary Neville sensed that shift on Sky Sports: “It feels like the match is moving out of the frantic phase and into a phase where City might be able to have more control.”

The spectacle remained short of its billing. AFP journalist Kieran Canning wrote: “Given all the build-up, this has been very, very flat. Both the lack of quality on the field and even the atmosphere has quickly fizzled out”.

FotMob recorded first-half expected goals of 0.42 for Liverpool and 0.07 for City. Neither side had found the precision needed to take charge.

Gravenberch dismissal changes balance after Liverpool surge

Liverpool began the second half with their most convincing attacking spell. Bradley Barcola found Koumas inside the box, forcing Gianluigi Donnarumma into a strong save. The goalkeeper then denied Gravenberch before Alexis Mac Allister fired narrowly wide.

For a brief period, the home side looked capable of turning pressure into a lead. Their decision-making, however, continued to frustrate. Wirtz shot wide with Kerkez available, prompting criticism from CBS journalist James Benge.

“The decision making with the ball is getting more scrambled every time I see him,” Benge wrote.

City had warnings of their own to offer. Haaland missed after Antoine Semenyo sent him through, while Alisson intervened when Doku and O’Reilly combined.

Then came the decisive change. Already booked for catching Anderson in the 47th minute, Gravenberch lunged towards Doku as a Liverpool attack broke down. He failed to win the ball and received a second yellow after 62 minutes.

Liverpool lost a midfielder who had helped drive their transitions. City gained the space to accelerate theirs.

Doku and Cherki deliver ruthless Manchester City response

Doku, introduced for Iliman Ndiaye six minutes before the dismissal, became central to City’s surge.

His partially blocked cross reached Haaland in the 65th minute. The striker adjusted and drove a powerful left-footed finish into the bottom corner. Three minutes later, Anderson found Doku, who cut inside from the left and curled a superb shot beyond Alisson.

Cherki supplied the third after 78 minutes. A dummy and combination with Joško Gvardiol opened the defence before the Frenchman evaded Jeremie Frimpong, cut inside Alisson and rolled home.

City’s execution deserved recognition, even as Liverpool’s numerical disadvantage shaped the closing stages. Donnarumma had protected the visitors when the match was level; their attacking players then made the advantage count.

The commentary also carried uncertainty about the wider significance of the fixture. Football writer Iain Macintosh observed: “It’s so weird that, outside of it being a tremendous day out for a few thousand City fans, we have no idea what this game means.”

On the pitch, the contrast was clearer. Liverpool had opportunities before the dismissal. Manchester City responded to it with the quality to take the game away from them.