Manchester City continued their impressive start to the 2026/2027 Premier League season with a commanding 3-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, October 11, as Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki scored decisive second-half goals to preserve the visitors’ perfect league record.
City produced a disciplined performance in a fiercely contested encounter, absorbing Liverpool’s early pressure before taking control after Ryan Gravenberch was sent off in the 62nd minute. Haaland opened the scoring in the 65th minute, Doku doubled the advantage three minutes later with a spectacular long-range strike, and Cherki completed the victory in the 78th minute with an impressive individual finish.
The result gave Manchester City six victories from six Premier League matches, moving them to 18 points and extending their advantage over second-placed Arsenal to three points. Liverpool, meanwhile, suffered their first league defeat of the campaign.
The match also carried additional tension following the recent independent commission ruling against Manchester City over breaches of Premier League financial rules, which the club has appealed. Liverpool supporters made their feelings known before and during the contest, but the visitors eventually delivered their response on the pitch.
City threatened almost immediately after kick-off. In the second minute, Bernardo Silva slipped a pass into the Liverpool penalty area, sending Haaland through on goal. However, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker reacted quickly, while defender Milos Kerkez provided additional defensive intervention to prevent the Norwegian striker from opening the scoring.
Liverpool responded by creating opportunities of their own. Mohamed Salah found space inside the City penalty area after a forward pass from Alexis Mac Allister, but his right-footed effort was deflected wide by Marc Guehi. Florian Wirtz subsequently produced a dangerous pass that gave Hugo Ekitike an opportunity to threaten, although City managed to contain the attack.
The visitors continued to search for a breakthrough, with Haaland directing a bouncing ball towards Alisson after receiving a delivery from Rodri. The Liverpool goalkeeper gathered the effort, and the sides went into half-time with the score still goalless.
The second half began with Liverpool pushing for the opening goal. Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma produced an important double save three minutes after the restart, denying Lewis Koumas and then Ryan Gravenberch. Mac Allister followed with an effort that narrowly missed the target.
City also came close to scoring before the decisive moment. Antoine Semenyo delivered an excellent ball into the penalty area for Iliman Ndiaye, but Liverpool defender Kerkez made a crucial block to prevent the City attacker from applying the finish.
Haaland then missed another promising opportunity just before the hour mark. Semenyo played a superb through ball behind Liverpool’s defence, allowing the striker to move into a dangerous position, but his attempted finish went narrowly wide of the post.
The contest changed dramatically in the 62nd minute when Gravenberch received his second yellow card for a late challenge on City substitute Doku. The Liverpool midfielder was sent off, leaving the hosts with 10 players for the remainder of the match.
Manchester City immediately increased their attacking pressure and took advantage of the additional space.
Haaland Breaks the Deadlock in the 65th Minute
Manchester City took the lead in the 65th minute through Haaland after a dangerous attacking move involving Doku. The Belgian winger drove into the Liverpool penalty area and attempted to shoot, but his effort was blocked by Mac Allister. The deflection sent the ball into Haaland’s path, and the Norwegian striker reacted quickly before unleashing a powerful left-footed strike into the net.
The goal rewarded City’s persistence after a series of missed opportunities and gave them the breakthrough they had been seeking. Doku created the initial danger, while Haaland demonstrated his sharp reactions and finishing ability to convert the loose ball. There was no separate credited assist on the goal.
Doku Doubles City’s Advantage in the 68th Minute
Three minutes later, Doku produced a moment of individual brilliance to make it 2-0. The winger moved in from the right, using his pace and close control to create space before curling a superb long-range effort into the top-right corner beyond Alisson’s reach.
The strike was a spectacular finish that left Liverpool with a mountain to climb. Rather than relying on a teammate to create the final shooting opportunity, Doku manufactured the space himself and executed the shot with remarkable precision. The goal was an individual effort, with no separate credited assist.
Doku’s introduction as a substitute in the 56th minute had given City additional pace and unpredictability in attack. His goal, arriving only minutes after Haaland’s opener, further exposed Liverpool’s defensive difficulties after the dismissal.
Cherki Completes the Rout in the 78th Minute
Cherki added City’s third goal in the 78th minute after a beautifully constructed attacking move. The French midfielder allowed the ball to run through to substitute Josko Gvardiol before moving forward to receive a return pass inside the penalty area.
Cherki then displayed his technical ability by using a clever step-over before cutting away from Liverpool substitute Jeremie Frimpong with a drag-back. Having created the necessary space, he calmly guided the ball past Alisson to complete a memorable individual finish.
Gvardiol provided the key pass in the move, setting up Cherki to continue the attack and finish clinically. The goal underlined City’s attacking quality and effectively ended Liverpool’s hopes of mounting a comeback.
Cherki’s strike was arguably the most eye-catching of the three goals because of the combination of movement, close control and composure required to beat his marker before finishing.
With the score at 3-0, Manchester City managed the closing stages professionally, protecting their advantage while Liverpool struggled to find a response with 10 players.
The defeat will leave Liverpool’s coaching staff examining both their attacking efficiency and their ability to cope with setbacks against elite opposition. Although the hosts created promising opportunities before the red card, they were unable to convert their chances and subsequently struggled to contain City’s attacking movement.
For Manchester City, the victory was another statement of intent in the early stages of the campaign. Their ability to withstand Liverpool’s pressure, capitalise on the numerical advantage and finish clinically demonstrated the quality of their attacking options.
The result also gave City consecutive Premier League victories at Anfield for the first time since 1953, following their previous 2-1 win at the stadium in February.
Manchester City will now turn their attention to their upcoming fixtures as they attempt to maintain their perfect league record and strengthen their position in the title race. Liverpool, meanwhile, must regroup quickly after suffering their first Premier League defeat of the season.
With six wins from six matches, City have made an emphatic start to the campaign, while their clinical performance at Anfield has reinforced their status as serious contenders for the Premier League title.
Final Score: Liverpool 0-3 Manchester City
Goals:
Erling Haaland, 65th minute.
Jeremy Doku, 68th minute.
Rayan Cherki, 78th minute.
Assists and Build-up:
Haaland: Scored from a rebound after Doku’s blocked effort. No separate credited assist.
Doku: Individual long-range strike. No separate credited assist.
Cherki: Josko Gvardiol supplied the return pass before Cherki’s individual dribbling and finish.
Red Card: Ryan Gravenberch, 62nd minute.
