Liverpool 3 // Manchester City 0
As the more downbeat element of their support know all too well, there are times in Manchester City's history when everything that could possibly go wrong seems to. This was one.
The damage is yet to be fully revealed, but City's joint-heaviest defeat of the season was compounded by the loss of their captain.
A setback that means their hold on fourth place remains precarious could yet cost them the coveted Champions League spot.
__________________
More on club football
• Blackpool and Wigan in major game for the minnowsa>
• Manchester United winning feeds Evra's hunger
• Ancelotti thinking back to reverting to 4-3-3 formation
• Alcantara knocks at Barcelona's first team door
• Irritation eating away at Ibrahimovic
__________________
A more immediate concern is the injury sustained by Carlos Tevez.
The Argentine limped off, holding his hamstring to put his participation in Saturday's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United in considerable doubt.
While one striker despaired, another delighted. Andy Carroll opened his Liverpool account in style, the £35 million (Dh210m) forward scoring a barnstorming brace in a triumph that completes a hat-trick of notable scalps for Kenny Dalglish, whose brief reign also encompasses wins over Chelsea and Manchester United.
This was emphatic, a victory with vindication for the manager who had authorised the British transfer record signing of Carroll.
Relief was married with joy when a sixth game brought a long-awaited first goal.
He had contributed in the build-up, too, dispossessing Tevez. After Vincent Kompany blocked Raul Meireles's resulting attempt, the target man struck a shot of imperious power and accuracy past Joe Hart.
His second, and Liverpool's third, goal showcased his most obvious attribute, the towering Carroll flinging himself at Meireles's cross to beat Hart, even if there was a suspicion the unstoppable header may have come from Aleksandar Kolarov, who was unfortunate enough to find himself in the forward's way.
Carroll's double sandwiched a strike from Dirk Kuyt, angling a shot in at the far post after a bout of penalty-area pinball.
The Dutchman was an undemonstrative influence throughout. After seven minutes, his first-time pass released Luis Suarez, sending the Uruguayan scurrying through a gap in the City defence to shoot.
It took an outstanding save from Hart to deflect his low effort on to the near post.
Kuyt, Meireles and Carroll came close to a fourth while City threatened little until Jose Reina blocked Yaya Toure's thunderbolt.
A clean sheet had merit, however: Liverpool were so ravaged by injuries that an 18-year-old right-back, Jonathan Flanagan, was given a debut.
City's was not their strongest side, either. There was an understandable caution in Roberto Mancini's decision to bench two of his most important players, Nigel de Jong and David Silva. He could be forgiven for wishing he had saved a third, Tevez, for Wembley as well.
To say it amounted to less-than-ideal preparation for facing United ranks as one of the understatements of the year.
The consolation for City is that the week cannot end quite as badly as it began.
