EPL: Liverpool beat Man City to go nine points clear at to

Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to nine points, deepening Manchester City’s woes with a 2-0 victory at Anfield.

Arne Slot’s side moved clear of second-placed Arsenal thanks to Cody Gakpo’s early opener and Mohamed Salah’s late penalty, leaving City languishing in fifth place, 11 points off the pace. The defeat marked City’s fourth consecutive league loss—their worst top-flight run since 2008—and made them the first reigning champions to suffer such a slump the year after winning the title.

History offers little hope for a City comeback: in the Premier League’s 32 seasons, only three teams have overturned an 11-point deficit at any stage to claim the title. While Pep Guardiola’s City have staged dramatic rallies in the past, they’ve never recovered from being this far behind.

City’s current seven-game winless streak is the longest of Guardiola’s career, compounding the frustration just weeks after he signed a new two-year contract. Anfield supporters mocked the Spaniard with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning,” prompting Guardiola to defiantly flash six fingers, symbolizing the number of Premier League titles he’s secured with the club.

Liverpool, in stark contrast, are thriving under Slot, who replaced Jurgen Klopp during the offseason. The Reds have won 18 of their 20 matches across all competitions and 11 of 13 league games, establishing themselves as clear favourites to claim their first Premier League title since 2020.

Guardiola made a surprise decision to bench Ederson in favour of Stefan Ortega, but it backfired as Ortega was immediately tested. Just 12 minutes in, a defensive lapse allowed Salah’s curling effort to spill towards the goal, where Gakpo capitalized from close range.

Salah sealed the result in the 78th minute, calmly converting a penalty after Ortega fouled Luis Diaz in the box, all but extinguishing City’s faint hopes of a title resurgence.