11 Oct 2026

Liverpool 0-3 Man City: Cherki shines at Anfield

Manchester City put on a second-half clinic to beat Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield in the Premier League. The game on the Premier League slate felt balanced for 45 minutes, then tilted sharply. You can revisit every moment, lineup and live momentum on the full match page on Sofascore.

City take control after the break

Liverpool carried threat in an even first half, posting a higher xG than City before the interval (0.42 to 0.07) and winning more duels. They also led the dribble success in the opening period, forcing two saves from Gianluigi Donnarumma and winning the corner count 4-2. Andoni Iraola’s side matched the visitors’ intensity, and their 46% first-half possession reflected that contest. Yet despite decent territory, Liverpool produced no big chances and struggled to get repeated touches in the box. The fine margins would matter later.

After the break Enzo Maresca’s team raised the tempo and the control. City owned 76% possession in the second half and generated 1.23 xG, adding three big chances. The 62nd-minute red card for Ryan Gravenberch changed the picture, and City struck immediately with goals on 65, 68 and 78 minutes. Liverpool’s press faded under the extra workload as City completed 291 accurate passes to Liverpool’s 77 in the half. The flow turned blue, and the scoreline followed.

The numbers that told the story

City finished with 65% possession and 551 passes to Liverpool’s 296, which set the platform to create. They produced more big chances (3-0), more touches in the area (28-15) and a higher total xG (1.30 to 0.86). Liverpool actually hit the target more often overall (6-4), but shot quality and shot prevention were decisive. Expected Goals on Target underlined it too, with City at 1.67 vs Liverpool’s 0.94.

In goal, Donnarumma’s six saves and 0.94 goals prevented steadied City; Alisson had one save and a -1.33 goals prevented figure. City also edged duels 53% to 47% across the match, a swing that was especially clear after halftime. Liverpool ran hard and recorded more sprints (128-105) but could not translate that effort into big chances. Cross accuracy was low on both sides, though City’s set-piece and wide progression paid off through patient circulation. The average Sofascore Rating gap was striking as well, with City at 8.27 and Liverpool at 5.95.

Key moments at Anfield

Chris Kavanagh booked Ronald Araújo early, but the first half stayed scoreless with few clear looks for either side. The game’s hinge was minute 62, when Ryan Gravenberch received a second booking to leave Liverpool with ten. Three minutes later, Erling Haaland broke the deadlock with a left-footed strike from the edge of the area. City doubled the lead on 68 minutes as Jérémy Doku came off the bench to finish after Elliot Anderson’s incisive pass. The third arrived on 78 minutes, Rayan Cherki driving in low after Joško Gvardiol’s smart delivery.

Maresca’s changes mattered at the right time. Doku entered on 56 minutes, and Gvardiol came on at 66, both directly involved in the next two goals. Liverpool tried to refresh with Trey Nyoni and later Rio Ngumoha, but the tide had turned. Cards continued to stack up late, with Ayyoub Bouaddi booked for City and Virgil van Dijk cautioned in stoppage time. The visitors closed it out with calm possession and simple choices.

Lineups, tweaks and a tactical swing

Both teams lined up in a 4-2-3-1, but City’s double pivot and Anderson’s control gave them a passing lane map Liverpool struggled to disrupt. Anderson completed 71 of 78 passes and was fouled eight times, a good barometer of how he set tempo. Enzo Fernández also hit 60 of 67 passes, pulling Liverpool to one side before City switched. Out wide, Antoine Semenyo’s running asked questions early and Doku’s fresh legs then became a problem for tired defenders.

Liverpool’s best phases came when Alexis Mac Allister linked play quickly and when they won second balls. They led tackles won percentage (80%) and interceptions (12-4), a reminder their defensive shape worked for long spells. But with crosses at 2 of 13 and final-third efficiency lagging, they lacked the cut that City found. Dias and Guéhi were solid in front of Donnarumma, limiting rebounds, while Matheus Nunes contributed a last-man tackle and aerial presence. Once reduced to ten, Liverpool simply could not hold back the waves of possession.

MVP spotlight: Rayan Cherki’s complete display

Cherki earned an 8.6 Sofascore Rating and was central to almost everything good in City’s attack. He scored the third to settle the match and led City with five shots. On the ball he was precise and persistent, completing 64 of 70 passes and supplying two key passes. He carried the ball 33 times for a total of 313 meters, repeatedly shifting Liverpool’s block. His 92 meters of progressive carries and a best single carry of 36.8 meters underline how he moved the game up the pitch.

There was more than flair too. Cherki won seven duels, made three tackles and kept composure under pressure with only two heavy touches. He mixed safer recycling in his own half with risk in the final third, balancing control and threat. The top speed of 33.88 km/h and eight sprints showed the work rate to match the craft. In a match decided by quality in the final third, he provided it consistently.

Player of the Match

By Sofascore Rating, the top performer was Rayan Cherki at 8.6. Fans agreed: Cherki was also the top vote-getter with 6,131 of 14,757 total votes. In short, both the algorithm and the crowd picked the same standout.