TheCable

Manchester City turned on the style to obliterate Liverpool, the new English Premier League (EPL) champions, 4-0 at the Etihad stadium in a superiority statement on Thursday night.

Goals from Kevin de Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden and an own goal helped Pep Guardiola’s City crash the Liverpool party in style, exerting some sort of revenge for losing their EPL crown to Jurgen Klopp’s juggernauts.

City had won only two of the past ten meetings against Liverpool in the league and duly addressed the statistic against the Reds who have not won at Etihad since 2015.

It was Liverpool’s first game since securing a maiden EPL title in 30 years, and they were welcomed with a guard of honour at the Etihad by City, who switched on the style afterwards.

The deposed champions were out for blood and duly pounced through a penalty on 25 minutes won by Sterling. He was dragged down in the box by Joe Gomez, and the penalty was coolly dispatched by de Bruyne for 1-0.

Ten minutes later, Sterling, a former Liverpool player, doubled City’s lead with a clinical finish after a slide rule pass from Phil Foden.

Foden, the 20-year-old wonderkid, completed the first half obliteration on 45 minutes against a seemingly sleepy Liverpool defence, interchanging passes with de Bruyne before confidently dispatching beyond Alison for 3-0 at the interval.

It was more misery in the second period for Liverpool, who were run ragged by the trio of de Bruyne, Foden and Sterling. The England international was on the end of another de Bruyne’s pass and his shot was deflected into goal by midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for 4-0 on 66 minutes.

Liverpool, despite the defeat and no other trophy to play for this season, can still break City’s record of 100 points with six games left to play, while the blue side of Manchester are still in the running for the UEFA champions league and FA Cup trophies.