Defiant Man City Silence Hostile Anfield With 3-0 Win Over 10-Man Liverpool in First Game Since Guilty Verdict

Manchester City shut out the noise and the boos to turn a feisty afternoon at Anfield into a statement victory, beating Liverpool 3-0 in their first match since an independent commission found the club guilty of 114 breaches of the Premier League's financial rules. The hosts made life miserable for the champions in the opening hour, with Liverpool supporters directing a barrage of chants at the visitors throughout a fiercely contested first half that featured 18 fouls — the most in an opening period at Anfield since November 2021. The balance of the contest swung decisively in the 62nd minute when Ryan Gravenberch received a second yellow card for a foul on Jeremy Doku, a decision television commentators described as extremely harsh. City needed just two minutes and 36 seconds to cash in. Doku's deflected effort dropped for Erling Haaland, who lashed home a left-footed strike past Alisson in the 65th minute. Three minutes later, the Belgian substitute bent a spectacular shot into the far top corner, and Rayan Cherki completed the rout in the 78th minute after exchanging passes with Josko Gvardiol. Haaland, who now has six goals in six league matches, praised his side's resolve: "We showed amazing character from Donnarumma all the way back to the front. I'm so proud of everyone." The win keeps City perfect — six from six, 18 points, three clear of Arsenal — while Liverpool are ninth, nine points adrift after their first league defeat. Off the pitch, the club has appealed the guilty verdict and continues to deny any wrongdoing.