Irrepressible Mohammed Salah opened the scoring for Jurgen Klopps side. The Premier League runaway leaders will be hoping to overturn the deficit in a fortnight time when Liverpool visits the Etihad stadium for the return leg.
The Citizens headed into the game the favourites considering their League form and the fact that a win against city rivals Manchester United will give them the Premier League title this weekend. All it took for the score line to change in this clash was 12 minutes as Mohammed Salah fired home from very close range after latching on to a pass from Roberto Firmino to make it 1 – 0.
To the amazement of the home fans, the Reds continued with their pressure on Pep Guardiola led City side and it paid off in the 21st minutes as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain collected a pass and decided to shoot from about 20 metres out. He hit it perfectly! And the ball zoomed around the goalkeeper and ended up inside the left post making the scoreline 2 – 0.
Sadio Mane made it 3 – 0 in the 31st minute as he ran onto a clever lofted pass from Mohammed Salah and easily beat the keeper with a header into the left side of the goal from close range. And at the end of the first 45 minutes it was Liverpool that walked into the tunnel with their shoulders high on a highly comfortable 3 – 0 lead.
Manchester City started the second half with much intensity but they could not trouble the formidable defence setup by Liverpool.
All eyes will be on the return leg that will take place at Etihad in a fortnight time, but with City trailing by three goals, the tie might just be a mere formality.
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