Liverpool stun Man City, open 11-point gap on table

Liverpool took a significant step towards securing the Premier League title on Sunday with a commanding 2-0 victory over Manchester City, extending their lead at the top of the table to 11 points over Arsenal.

The win at the Etihad Stadium showcased Liverpool’s dominance and further solidified their position as the team to beat this season.

Mohamed Salah was once again the standout performer for Liverpool, opening the scoring with his 30th goal of the season.

The Egyptian forward then turned provider, setting up Dominik Szoboszlai to double the lead before halftime.

This victory came just days after Manchester City’s disappointing exit from the Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid, adding to the woes of the dethroned English champions, who now trail Liverpool by a staggering 20 points.

Liverpool’s triumph was a testament to their resilience and tactical brilliance under new manager Arne Slot, who is in his first season at the helm.

The Reds are now on the verge of matching Manchester United’s record of 20 English top-flight titles, a feat that seems increasingly likely as the season progresses.

Arsenal’s unexpected 1-0 home defeat to West Ham on Saturday had already eased some of the pressure on Liverpool, who had dropped points in two of their last three games against Everton and Aston Villa.

However, the trip to the Etihad was seen as the ultimate test for Liverpool, and they passed it with flying colors.

Manchester City, on the other hand, struggled to cope with Liverpool’s intensity and were further hampered by the absence of their star striker, Erling Haaland, who is currently sidelined with an injury.

City’s defensive vulnerabilities were exposed, and they lacked the cutting edge in attack to make their 70% possession count.

Salah’s performance was nothing short of sensational. The Egyptian forward now boasts an incredible tally of 25 goals and 16 assists in just 27 Premier League appearances this season.

His opening goal came from a brilliantly executed set-piece routine, with Alexis Mac Allister’s corner flicked on by Szoboszlai into Salah’s path, whose shot deflected off Nathan Ake and past the helpless Ederson.

City had their moments, with Phil Foden setting up Omar Marmoush for a chance, but the latter was ruled offside.

Jeremy Doku, City’s winger, caused problems for Trent Alexander-Arnold but failed to deliver a decisive cross or shot.

Salah, however, made no such mistakes, racing onto a long ball and setting up Szoboszlai for Liverpool’s second goal.

The second half could have been even more damaging for City had Liverpool been more clinical on the counter-attack.

Curtis Jones thought he had scored a third, but it was ruled out by VAR for offside.

Ederson made a stunning save to deny Luis Diaz, and a last-ditch tackle from Abdukodir Khusanov prevented Szoboszlai from adding to his tally.

Despite the defeat, Manchester City remain in fourth place and are still in contention for a Champions League spot next season, with a top-five finish likely to be enough.

However, after an unprecedented run of four consecutive Premier League titles, City now look like a team past their prime, with Liverpool emerging as the new dominant force in English football.

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