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Liverpool ran riot against a lacklustre Manchester City side, as Manuel Pellegrini’s men fell to a shocking 4-1 defeat at home. The French national anthem, La Marseillaise, was played before kick-off, to pay tribute to the lives lost in Paris terror attacks.
In undoubtedly the blockbuster clash of the Premier League weekend, things didn’t go quite to plan for Manuel Pellegrini, as his troops were outplayed in all departments by a resurgent Liverpool outfit. Daniel Sturridge made his return to the Liverpool bench, while Christian Benteke sat alongside the Englishman, as Roberto Firmino started for Jurgen Klopp. And the Brazilian repaid his manager’s faith seven minutes into the game, when he played a one-two with countryman Philippe Coutinho and the former Hoffenheim player’s cross fell into the path of Eliaquim Mangala, who unfortunately slotted the ball into his own net.
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The Reds doubled their lead in the 23rd minute, when Firmino stole the ball from Martin Demicheles in the opposition half and slipped a pass back into the middle for Coutinho, who finished past the wrong-footed Joe Hart with ease. It went from bad to worse for the City, when Firmino scored his first Liverpool goal in the 32nd minute. After Coutinho’s shot from distance was parried away by Joe Hart, Emre Can backheeled the ball into the box for the Brazilian, who rolled the ball to the unmarked Firmino and the summer signing deftly tapped it home to make it 3-0. Sergio Aguero, who spent weeks out with injury, got a goal back just before the first-half whistle, when he shimmied in form 25 yards and exquisitely curled a shot into the top right past the hapless Simon Mignolet to make it 3-1 at the break.
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After the break, the home side regained their mojo and attacked furiously, although the visitors were a constant threat on the beak and both ‘keepers were forced into making brilliant saves. Raheem Sterling, who moved to City from Liverpool in a bumper deal, had an evening to forget and was booed by travelling supporters everytime he touched the ball. Martin Skrtel, a rock in the back, compounded Pellegrini’s misery, when he his mis-hit header fell kindly to himself and Slovakian centre-back viciously thumped a shot into the back of the net. One could argue that City were incredibly profligate in the front of goal but undoubtedly this was Liverpool’s best performance under Klopp, who with his animated and rather scary touchline motions ensured that his players weren’t laidback for a single second. This is the Klopp fans had been waiting for.
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A beleaguered Manchester United outfit visited Vicarage Road in an attempt to move to the top of the table and had the perfect start to the game, when Memphis Depay, starting for the first time almost two months, volleying home Ander Herrera’s inviting cross in the 11th minute. Despite missing key players through injury, United dominated possession and Jesse Lingard missed a few golden opportunities. In the 86th minute, the home side were awarded a penalty, after Marcos Rojo brought down Odion Ighalo in the 18-yard box. Club hero Troy Deeney stepped up the take the spot-kick and smashed it over David De Gea to make matters level. But Deeney undid all his good work with minutes to go, when he bundled home Bastian Schweinsteiger’s shot from a narrow angle, as Louis van Gaal’s men returned to Manchester with all three points in the bag.
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Jamie Vardy scored in his 10th consecutive match to equal the legendary Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record, as Leicester moved to the summit of the Premier League, after a commanding 3-0 win at Newcastle.
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Jose Mourinho finally had a moment to breath, after Diego Costa’s brilliant goal in the second-half sealed a narrow 1-0 win at home against Norwich.
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Everton hosted bottom club Aston Villa and made merry, as the Toffees thrashed the visitors 4-0, Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku scoring a brace each. Swansea came from two goals down, to win a point against Bournemouth, while Southampton slumped to 1-0 defeat at home to Stoke.
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