Manchester City shut out the noise around their financial-rules case and beat 10-man Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield, as Erling Haaland, Jérémy Doku and Rayan Cherki struck after Ryan Gravenberch's second-half red card to keep Enzo Maresca's leaders perfect in the Premier League.
Match facts
- Result: Liverpool 0-3 Manchester City (half-time 0-0)
- Competition: Premier League, Matchday 6
- Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
- Attendance: 60,338
- Scorers: Manchester City - Erling Haaland 65', Jérémy Doku 68', Rayan Cherki 78'
- Red cards: Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool) 62', second yellow
- Next: Manchester City host Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday 14 October (20:00 UK); Liverpool return in the Premier League
How the match unfolded
City's first league outing since an independent commission found them guilty of all Premier League financial-rules charges — a verdict the club has appealed — opened in a frantic Anfield atmosphere. Liverpool, without Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai, started Lewis Koumas as the focal point and pressed hard, but clear chances were scarce before the break.
Three minutes into the second half Gianluigi Donnarumma twice denied Koumas and Gravenberch, and Alexis Mac Allister curled narrowly wide. City then spurned a big chance of their own when Antoine Semenyo slipped Haaland through and the Norway striker's attempt drifted wide.
The turning point arrived in the 62nd minute. Gravenberch, already booked, was shown a second yellow for a foul on substitute Doku and sent off. Two minutes and 36 seconds later City led: Doku drove into the box, Mac Allister blocked his shot, and Haaland smashed the rebound emphatically past Alisson Becker.
In the 68th minute Doku doubled the lead himself, cutting inside and curling into the far top corner. Ten minutes later Cherki finished the contest, taking Joško Gvardiol's pass, beating Jeremie Frimpong with a step-over and drag-back, and sliding the ball under Alisson for 0-3.
What the result means
City stay top with 18 points from six wins and remain the only unbeaten, perfect side in the division, three points clear of Arsenal. It is also consecutive league wins at Anfield for the first time since 1953. Liverpool drop to a first defeat of 2026-27 and sit nine points behind the leaders after six games under Andoni Iraola.
Reaction
Haaland told Sky Sports the win would stay with City fans "for a long time" and praised the side's character "from Donnarumma all the way back to the front." Maresca said his team struggled off the ball in the first half, made adjustments after the break, and had to "make our noise and deal with their noise" in a difficult environment.