Anfield was loud, hostile and in full voice for an hour. Then one red card changed everything. Manchester City beat 10-man Liverpool 3-0 in the Premier League on Sunday, October 11, scoring three times in 13 second-half minutes after Ryan Gravenberch was sent off, to stay perfect this season and open a three-point lead at the top of the table.
How the match turned
For long spells Liverpool were the sharper side, pressing City and pushing the crowd into the game. The turning point came in the 62nd minute, when Gravenberch picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Jeremy Doku and was sent off.
City needed only three minutes to make the extra man count. In the 65th minute Doku's shot was deflected into the path of Erling Haaland, who drilled a left-footed finish past Alisson. Three minutes later Doku scored one of the goals of the season so far, a long-range strike that curled into the far top corner. Rayan Cherki then wrapped it up in the 78th minute, finishing after a smart pass from Josko Gvardiol.
| Result | Liverpool 0-3 Manchester City |
| Date and venue | Sunday, October 11, 2026, Anfield |
| Red card | Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), 62', second yellow |
| Goal 1 | Erling Haaland, 65' |
| Goal 2 | Jeremy Doku, 68' |
| Goal 3 | Rayan Cherki, 78' (assist: Josko Gvardiol) |
| Man City | 6 wins from 6, 18 points, top of the table |
| Liverpool | First league defeat of the season, ninth |
Maresca joins an elite list
The win means Enzo Maresca has won each of his first six Premier League games in charge of City. Only three managers had done that with a club before him: Pep Guardiola at City in 2016, Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea in 2009 and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United in 2018-19. City now have 18 points, three clear of Arsenal.
Maresca's message afterwards was simple: on grounds as hostile as Anfield, the best answer is to win. Haaland, speaking to Sky Sports, called it "a lovely moment that will stay with us a long time", while midfielder Elliot Anderson praised the team's togetherness and fight in what he called a tough place to come.
Iraola fumes at the referee
For Liverpool and Andoni Iraola, it was a painful afternoon. The Liverpool manager felt his side were the better team for the first hour and was unhappy with the officiating, in particular the first yellow card shown to Gravenberch, which he described as a normal foul. The defeat is Liverpool's first in the league this season and leaves them ninth, already well off the pace at the top.
A win under a cloud
The match was City's first since an independent commission found the club guilty of 114 breaches of the Premier League's financial rules. City deny any wrongdoing and have appealed. On the pitch, at least, there is no sign of the off-field storm affecting the players, and Maresca's side look as ruthless as ever.
Talking points from Anfield
Doku was the standout performer. He won the foul that brought Gravenberch's second booking, his shot led to the opener and his own strike doubled the lead, giving Liverpool's defence a torrid afternoon down the flank. Cherki's goal capped a strong display from City's attacking midfielders, while Gvardiol's pass for the third showed how quickly City punished the space left by the missing man.
For Liverpool, the bigger worry is how quickly the game slipped away. Up to the red card they had matched City in intensity; within 16 minutes of it, the contest was over. Iraola will want to know why his side lost its shape so badly with 10 men.
Why Indian fans should care
City and Liverpool are two of the most followed English clubs in India, and this fixture is usually one of the most watched Premier League games of the season among Indian viewers. For Liverpool's large fan base here, the red card debate will rage for days. For City supporters, a perfect start under a new manager is the best possible answer to doubts after the Guardiola era.
What comes next
Iraola now has to fix a side that faded badly once it went down to 10 men, and Liverpool need a quick response to stop an early gap at the top from growing. City will look to extend their winning run, with Arsenal the closest challengers just three points behind.
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