Liverpool 0-3 Man City: Haaland, Doku & Cherki silence Anfield after Gravenberch red

Manchester City silenced a venomous Anfield and the noise surrounding their financial crisis with a ruthless second-half demolition of 10-man Liverpool, running out 3-0 winners to maintain their perfect Premier League start.

In their first outing since an independent commission found them guilty of 114 breaches of the league’s financial rules, Enzo Maresca’s side were met by a wall of boos and relentless “cheats” chants. For an hour they absorbed the hostility and Liverpool’s early pressure. Then Ryan Gravenberch’s dismissal changed everything. The Dutch midfielder, already booked, brought down substitute Jeremy Doku in the 62nd minute and was shown a second yellow by referee Chris Kavanagh. Three minutes later Erling Haaland pounced. Doku’s shot was deflected into the Norwegian’s path and he lashed a left-footed finish past Alisson from close range.

Anfield barely had time to process the setback before Doku made it two. Collecting the ball on the left, the Belgian cut inside and curled a sublime right-footed shot into the far top corner. It was a moment of pure quality that left the home crowd stunned and the contest effectively over. Rayan Cherki completed the rout in the 78th minute with the pick of the goals. He dummied Elliot Anderson’s pass, collected Josko Gvardiol’s clever return, bamboozled Jeremie Frimpong and rolled the ball under Alisson.

The first half had offered little of the drama that preceded kick-off. Liverpool, missing several attacking options and handing a first league start to Lewis Koumas, started brightly and forced Gianluigi Donnarumma into early saves after the break. Koumas, Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister all tested the Italian, but City grew into the contest and waited for their moment. Once the numerical advantage arrived, their quality and composure told. Doku, introduced just after the hour, was the catalyst; Haaland the clinical finisher; Cherki the artist who applied the final flourish.

The victory lifted City three points clear at the top with six wins from six. For Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool it was a first league defeat of the season, delivered in front of their own supporters on an afternoon when the off-field narrative threatened to overwhelm the football. City simply refused to let it. They blocked out the noise, punished the red card and left Anfield with a statement performance that underlined why they remain the team to beat, sanctions or no sanctions.