The title procession can begin. Eleven points clear with 12 games left for their nearest rivals, Liverpool aren’t going to let this slip now. On the basis of this authoritative 2-0 win at the Etihad Stadium, it will be a matter of when not if they reach the unmatchable 90 points.
Certainly, if Mohamed Salah keeps this up, the title will be won in time for Arsenal to give them a guard of honor at Anfield in May. For the 11th time this season, the presumptive Ballon d’Or winner graced a game with a goal and assist. The previous high watermark in a Premier League campaign was 11. It is February.
Match Highlights
This was not one of those games where everything flowed through Mohamed Salah. Indeed, in the 10 minutes before he opened the scoring – a shot deflected off Nathan Ake after a cute low Alexis Mac Allister corner had been flicked around the corner by Dominik Szoboszlai – Liverpool’s danger man had four touches, no completed passes and nothing else of note. On this season’s form, he only needs one opening.
Give him two then and Liverpool would have a cushion. More than 20 minutes without a shot for the visitors but one moment of lax defending for Jeremy Doku gave Trent Alexander-Arnold time to look up and pick a pass. Whenever that happens the opponent is always on the back foot. Salah glided away from Josko Gvardiol. Both he and Ake were intent on sending Salah to the byline, a precise touch with the right foot and they were out of the game. Szoboszlai was then on hand to sweep home.
From there on, not a lot for either side. VAR intervened to deny both sides offside goals, Omar Marmoush for City in the first, Curtis Jones denied what would have been the indisputable match-winner in the second. Even without that headroom, Liverpool never felt threatened by a team that has turned so many of their dreams into nightmares.
In that sense, this was not just the Salah show. The absence of one big star in Erling Haaland was certainly felt. For two and a half seasons City have built an attack to funnel chances towards the best No. 9 in the world. Without him, it really didn’t matter what they got right. Doku ended this game with 13 successful take-ons down the left, the most in a Premier League game this season, and yet without the big guy to hit in the middle, those darts to the byline resulted in just two chances created.
The match showcased Liverpool’s strategy and persistence, resulting in a crucial victory that solidifies their position in the Premier League championship race.
