Liverpool vs Man City was never going to be a quiet Sunday. Twelve days after an independent commission found City guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules, Enzo Maresca’s side walked into a furious Anfield and left with a 3-0 win. The Gravenberch red card flipped the game, but City’s nerve turned it into a statement.
A Hostile Welcome at Anfield
Liverpool fans greeted the visitors with chants branding City cheats and taunts about going down. A banner on the Kop accused City of cheating a generation of supporters, and the visitors arrived under police escort. City, who have appealed and deny all charges, soaked it up. The club’s chief executive, Ferran Soriano, was in attendance despite talk that the hierarchy might stay away.
Liverpool Were Better Until the 62nd Minute
Here is the part the scoreline hides. For an hour, Liverpool had the upper hand. City’s first-half expected goals of 0.07 was their lowest in a Premier League first half since March 2020, and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma had to palm away efforts from Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister. Liverpool coach Andoni Iraola summed it up neatly: two different games, one before the red card and one after. Then the game stopped being a contest.
Gravenberch Red Card: Harsh or Correct?
Then came the flashpoint. Ryan Gravenberch, arguably the best player on the pitch until then, was already on a yellow for a touch on Anderson. In the 62nd minute he caught Jérémy Doku with a late challenge, and referee Chris Kavanagh reached for his pocket again. Jamie Carragher called it a “shocking decision”, arguing the first booking only came because Anderson looked hurt.
ESPN’s VAR review was more measured. It explained that second yellows can only be reviewed if they are factually wrong, called the decision soft, but said the clumsy challenge did deny Doku a promising attack. In other words, harsh, but not indefensible.
Three Goals in 13 Minutes
City needed just two minutes and 37 seconds to punish the red card. Haaland smashed in the opener on 65 minutes, substitute Doku curled in a gem on 68, and Cherki added the finishing flourish on 78. It was the sort of ruthless spell title winners produce. Liverpool’s substitutes could not stem the tide, and many home fans were heading for the exits with over ten minutes left, while City supporters waved inflatable bananas.
What This Means for the Title Race
City now have a perfect 18 points from six games and sit three clear of Arsenal. They also won back-to-back league games at Anfield for the first time since 1953, while Liverpool suffered their first defeat of 2026-27.
Maresca’s message was simple: the noise will always be there, so make your own by winning games. He also praised captain Ruben Dias and Haaland for leading the response. That is easier with Haaland up front.
The bigger test is still to come. City face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday, and the appeal, with possible sanctions including points deductions, still hangs over the club.
Was Gravenberch’s second yellow a fair call or a game-changing mistake? Drop your verdict in the comments, and check back for our Man City appeal updates and Champions League previews.
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