EPL: Ruthless Manchester City Trash Champions Liverpool in a 4 goals Thriller

Former Champions Manchester City showed class against newly crowned Champions Liverpool at home, defeating the Reds by 4-0.

Three first-half goals from a clinical Manchester City side with goals from Kevin de Bryune, Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden saw the Premier League Champions Liverpool concede three goals in the first half of a Premier League game for the first time since May 2015 (against Stoke City)

City's goalkeeper, Ederson would have been embarrassed conceding early in the game should the first real attempt for the Champions ended up in goal in the third minute.

The shot-stopper had to work extra-hard to parry two sleeky chances from Liverpool's Salah and Firmino respectively, ably created by Van Dijk who sent a long ball from the middle.

With three shots at goal already for the visitors in the opening 10 minutes of the game, the Hosts struggled to gain control in the half of their opponent with their first attempt at goal coming in the 14th minute when Mendy's long cross was too deep to set-up Foden in the area for a possible chance at goal.

A huge opportunity for the Reds in the 19th minute was wasted as Mohamed Salah's straight shot hit the woodwork. Sadio Mane's loss of ball control was the end product as he couldn't follow up a rebound from the Egyptian's effort.

Manchester City took the lead with Kevin De Bruyne scoring from the spot in the 25th minute just before the first water break of the game courtesy of Joseph Gomez who committed a foul on Sterling in the box.

The opener for City appeared to be the catalyst for more goals in the game and true to this, City needed just four minutes to increase the tally to two with Raheem Sterling getting his brace in the keenly contested game.

Phil Foden, getting to assist the second goal for his side also got rewarded with his own goal before the half-time signal accounting for the third goal, closing up shops for the first 45 minutes. 

Both teams had notable chances from the start of the final 45 minutes of the game and with a three-nil deficit already for the Premier League Champions, they did all they could to salvage the situation.

Van Dijk's goalmouth clearance in the 51st minute was a relief to the Reds who fought hard to save their face.

The Video Assistant Referee played it's part as expected in the 56th minute overruling a penalty decision on City's Kyle Walker who committed a foul on Sadio Mane.

Rather Centre Referee Anthony Taylor awarded a freekick just outside the box to Liverpool, taken too wide by Alexander Arnold.

The duo of De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling further made mockery of Liverpool's defence with a fourth goal from Sterling's effort counted for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as an own goal in the 66th minute.

VAR overruled a fifth goal for City for handball denying Riyad Mahrez for recording his name on the scoresheet in additional time for the Etihad boys with the scoreline ending at 4-0 at regulation time.