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EPL Advertisement live Updated 19m ago 80 New Updates Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to nine points by beating a desperately poor Manchester City 2-0 at Anfield. Cody Gakpo opened the scoring before Mohamed Salah’s second-half penalty ensured Liverpool moved 11 points clear of the reigning champions. City boss Pep Guardiola was taunted with chants of ‘sacked in the morning’ from a delirious Anfield crowd — and responded by holding up six fingers to signify the six titles he has won with the club. Follow live reaction below and subscribe to The Athletic on an exclusive offer here. Getty Images 13' Liverpool 1-0 Manchester City Moments before that goal, Liverpool had actually almost taken the lead anyway. A floaty cross stood up to the back post, Virgil van Dijk headed it across goal, and it came off the inside of the post. City survived that opportunity, but not the next. With City's backline pushing high up. to almost the halfway line, Gravenberch, I think, launches a fantastic diagonal through ball forward into wide open space. It looks like it's going out, but Mo Salah is lightning quick and catches it easily. He cuts inside onto his stronger left foot, and bends in a wicked cross-shot to the back post, where Cody Gakpo bundles it in. Anfield erupts. In truth, Liverpool could already be two or three goals up. They've blown City away in this first 15 minutes! Advertisement Getty Images 12' Liverpool 1-0 Manchester City And it's no less than they deserve! Cody Gakpo with it! 11' Liverpool 0-0 Manchester City Liverpool press City into another mistake and Szoboszlai crashes it goalwards from outside the area. Stefan Ortega is well positioned and just about manages to get a hand to his side to parry it. Trent then wins the corner to widespread roars. Getty Images 10' Liverpool 0-0 Manchester City City have only survived this first 10 minutes by the skin of their teeth. Their entire backline, previously so calm and confident in the crunch matches of previous title races, look nervous and jittery. What's happened to them? They look shadows of their former selves. This is surely not tenable for City. Liverpool have got into their box for a shot three times already. City are finding Phil Foden nicely but are struggling to connect with anybody else, and Liverpool rip through them as soon as they recover the ball. Getty Images Flying start from Liverpool and the home fans have responded to that. Anfield is bouncing. Liverpool first to everything. Gravenberch very impressive so far. Advertisement Getty Images 6' Liverpool 0-0 Manchester City Liverpool fans are really bringing the noise early on. They roared in anticipation as Gundogan was robbed, setting up that Gakpo shot, booed and whistled loudly as City took their time in playing out from the back, and just screamed in vocal harmony for a penalty (there was nothing doing). Tough environment for the City players, who might already be feeling a bit fragile given their recent form. 5' Liverpool 0-0 Manchester City Ilkay Gundogan is hustled and harried in midfield and loses the ball in a dangerous area. Liverpool work it forward with some short sharp passes and find Cody Gakpo in space down the left, Kyle Walker retreating desperately. Gakpo cuts inside, takes maybe a touch too many, and tries to angle it in at the near post. Ortega pushes it away. Luis Diaz, following in for the rebound, was given offside eventually. 3' Liverpool 0-0 Manchester City Early on, it looks like City are in a 4-2-3-1, with Rico Lewis in the right side of attack, Matheus Nunes on the left, and Foden behind Haaland. Liverpool work it forward to Mo Salah, who cuts inside and teases a cross in. .. out of play. City cheers. Here we go then! Referee Chris Kavanagh blows his whistle, Dominik Szoboszlai kicks off, and we are up and running! James Pearce/The Athletic Banner between the home and away fans at Anfield reads ‘stop exploiting loyalty’ - part of the joint protest today against rising ticket prices. Advertisement Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk smirked with a grin on his face as he shook hands with the Manchester City players. He looks bullish. Meanwhile, Mo Salah was sitting quietly on a little stool in the tunnel before he walked out. Anfield is in fiiiiine voice. The players slap hands in preparation. I've been saying since September that City are lacking goals and I am aware that it is a difficult point to make considering they have been, for the most part, the league's top scorers, but there is a stat that Max mentioned which handily sums that up today. Of the City starting XI today, only Erling Haaland has scored a goal in the Premier League this season. So that's something. .. Getty Images As our friends at Opta have pointed out, this is the first Premier League fixture between Liverpool and Manchester City without either Alisson or Ederson starting in goal since March 2017. On that day, it was Simon Mignolet and Willy Caballero. This is a big day for Liverpool's longest serving player. Joe Gomez has waited patiently for his opportunity in the Premier League so far this season. Ibrahima Konate's injury means that Gomez starts a top-flight match at centre-back for the first time since September 2023. Advertisement Erling Haaland is, surprisingly, the only player in the Manchester City team who has scored in the Premier League this season. A lot of pressure has been heaped on his shoulders by those criticising his mini-goalless drought run in the league. But he can't do it all himself! Getty Images Ortega has only made 12 Premier League appearances in his Manchester City career, none so far this season. Big call from Pep Guardiola. Will it pay off? Missed our earlier posts on how the two teams line up? No problem. Here you are: Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Gakpo. Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Ortega; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Ake; Lewis, Gundogan; Silva, Nunes, Foden; Haaland.