Liverpool 0-3 Manchester City: Ten-man Reds collapse after Gravenberch dismissal

Liverpool suffered their first Premier League defeat under Andoni Iraola as Manchester City scored three second-half goals to secure a 3-0 victory at Anfield on Sunday.

Ryan Gravenberch’s controversial dismissal shortly after the hour mark proved the turning point in a contest that had remained goalless, with Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki taking full advantage to extend City’s perfect start to the season.

The defeat leaves Liverpool ninth in the Premier League, nine points behind Enzo Maresca’s side, who have won all six of their opening league fixtures.

Anfield had been in a hostile mood from the outset, with the visiting players subjected to jeers and chants following Manchester City’s recent guilty verdict over breaches of Premier League financial regulations.

Banners protesting against City were displayed around the ground, while supporters repeatedly made their feelings known about the controversy surrounding the visitors. City have appealed against the independent commission’s findings and continue to deny wrongdoing.

However, despite the charged atmosphere, Liverpool struggled to turn the energy from the stands into meaningful attacking pressure.

Iraola was already facing a difficult afternoon without Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai, all three having been ruled out following injuries sustained around the international break.

The opening 45 minutes were largely forgettable in terms of clear opportunities. City gradually settled into possession, slowing the tempo and frustrating a Liverpool side that struggled to establish any sustained rhythm.

There was more urgency from the Reds after the interval, with Gianluigi Donnarumma called upon to make saves from Lewis Koumas and Gravenberch as Liverpool briefly threatened to seize the initiative.

Haaland then wasted an excellent opportunity for the visitors, clipping his effort wide after finding himself through on goal.

But the afternoon changed dramatically in the 62nd minute.

Gravenberch, already on a yellow card, was shown a second booking following a challenge on Doku. The decision sparked frustration among the Liverpool players and supporters, with the midfielder’s dismissal leaving Iraola’s side facing almost half an hour with ten men.

City needed just three minutes to capitalise.

In the 65th minute, the ball fell kindly for Haaland inside the penalty area and the Norwegian made no mistake, driving a powerful finish beyond Alisson to give the visitors the lead.

Liverpool had barely recovered when City struck again.

Doku, introduced from the bench, cut inside from the left before curling an outstanding effort into the top corner in the 68th minute, leaving Alisson with no chance.

Two goals in three minutes had effectively ended Liverpool’s hopes of taking anything from the contest, and the visitors continued to exploit the space created by their numerical advantage.

The third arrived in the 78th minute when Cherki combined brilliantly with substitute Josko Gvardiol, whose clever flick helped unlock the Liverpool defence. Cherki showed excellent close control and composure to work his way into a shooting position before finishing past Alisson.

What had been a fiercely contested encounter was suddenly a comfortable victory for City, with the atmosphere inside Anfield becoming increasingly subdued as the final minutes passed.

While Gravenberch’s sending-off undoubtedly changed the direction of the game, Liverpool’s problems extended beyond the dismissal.

Florian Wirtz endured another frustrating afternoon and was replaced in the second half, while Bradley Barcola also struggled to make an impact against a well-organised City defence.

Munoz offered occasional moments of encouragement, but Liverpool lacked the attacking quality and cutting edge required to seriously trouble their opponents.

The absence of Isak, Gakpo and Szoboszlai undoubtedly limited Iraola’s options, although the Liverpool head coach will also be concerned by how quickly his side unravelled once reduced to ten men.

City, meanwhile, demonstrated the clinical edge that Liverpool were missing, making their numerical advantage count with three goals in the space of 13 minutes.

For Iraola, it represents a first significant setback in his Liverpool tenure and a reminder of the work still required if the Reds are to compete with the Premier League’s strongest sides.

The circumstances surrounding Gravenberch’s dismissal will inevitably dominate some of the post-match discussion, but Liverpool cannot afford to overlook the shortcomings that were evident before the red card.

A nine-point gap to the leaders after just six league matches is already a substantial deficit, and Liverpool will need to respond quickly if they are to prevent their early-season frustrations from developing into something more serious.

Full-time: Liverpool 0-3 Manchester City

Goals: Haaland (65), Doku (68), Cherki (78).

Red card: Ryan Gravenberch (62, second yellow).