A magical moment of individual brilliance from Mohamed Salah inflicted Manchester City’s first competitive defeat of the season as Liverpool won 1-0 at Anfield in a game which saw manager Jurgen Klopp sent off.
City have been bringing out the best of their north-west rivals for the last five years with some epic title races, but on this occasion that energy was boiled down into 90 pulsating minutes.
Klopp’s side had been timid, lethargic and vulnerable on numerous occasions this season – leading to the German accepting they are not currently in the title race – but this performance was anything but.
It was the Liverpool of old, tenacious, positive and aggressive – although too aggressive from their manager whom referee Anthony Taylor sent from the touchline after he blew a fuse at the official’s refusal to give a foul against Salah.