• Ederson - 7: Excellent distribution as always. Showed great anticipation to save a curling Salah finish with 15 minutes to go. Not afraid to come miles off his line if required. EPA
    Ederson - 7: Excellent distribution as always. Showed great anticipation to save a curling Salah finish with 15 minutes to go. Not afraid to come miles off his line if required. EPA
  • Kyle Walker - 6: Erratic at times with his positioning and passing. Nearly gave away a penalty for little shove on Mane that was given just outside the box. Reuters
    Kyle Walker - 6: Erratic at times with his positioning and passing. Nearly gave away a penalty for little shove on Mane that was given just outside the box. Reuters
  • Benjamin Mendy - 7: Full-back seems to have put his injury problems behind him. One glorious pass across the box in the first-half that was crying out for the missing Sergio Aguero. AFP
    Benjamin Mendy - 7: Full-back seems to have put his injury problems behind him. One glorious pass across the box in the first-half that was crying out for the missing Sergio Aguero. AFP
  • Eric Garcia - 7: Solid enough game from the Spanish defender. Too early to say whether the 19-year-old will be a first-team regular at City. Getty
    Eric Garcia - 7: Solid enough game from the Spanish defender. Too early to say whether the 19-year-old will be a first-team regular at City. Getty
  • Aymeric Laporte - 7: Key defender for City and did well up against a formidable Liverpool strikeforce. Getty
    Aymeric Laporte - 7: Key defender for City and did well up against a formidable Liverpool strikeforce. Getty
  • Rodrigo - 7: Dug out an excellent pass for Du Bruyne who went on to set up the fourth. Good performance from the midfielder. Getty
    Rodrigo - 7: Dug out an excellent pass for Du Bruyne who went on to set up the fourth. Good performance from the midfielder. Getty
  • Ilkay Guendogan - 7: One superlative long pass out to De Bruyne out wide in the second half and a decent all-round show from the German midfielder. EPA
    Ilkay Guendogan - 7: One superlative long pass out to De Bruyne out wide in the second half and a decent all-round show from the German midfielder. EPA
  • Kevin De Bruyne - 9: Just a ludicrously good footballer. Superb movement that is so difficult for defenders to pick up and a wonderful passer of the ball. Usual confident finish from the penalty spot, played lovely one-two with Foden for youngster to score third. Set up the fourth for Sterling whose shot was deflected in for an own-goal. Reuters
    Kevin De Bruyne - 9: Just a ludicrously good footballer. Superb movement that is so difficult for defenders to pick up and a wonderful passer of the ball. Usual confident finish from the penalty spot, played lovely one-two with Foden for youngster to score third. Set up the fourth for Sterling whose shot was deflected in for an own-goal. Reuters
  • Phil Foden - 9: Gave Robertson a torrid time, lovely one-two with De Bruyne before finishing confidently for the third. A constant menace to Liverpool and another brilliant performance from the young midfielder. Getty
    Phil Foden - 9: Gave Robertson a torrid time, lovely one-two with De Bruyne before finishing confidently for the third. A constant menace to Liverpool and another brilliant performance from the young midfielder. Getty
  • Raheem Sterling - 8: Forced foul out of Gomez to win penalty, brilliant first touch and finish for the second goal. Thought he'd grabbed the the fourth but his shot was going wide until Oxlade-Chamberlain deflected it into the net for an own goal. Reuters
    Raheem Sterling - 8: Forced foul out of Gomez to win penalty, brilliant first touch and finish for the second goal. Thought he'd grabbed the the fourth but his shot was going wide until Oxlade-Chamberlain deflected it into the net for an own goal. Reuters
  • Gabriel Jesus - 6: Had his moments but does not look like he has the striker's instinct to be a 20-plus goal a season replacement for Aguero in the long-term. Did have ball in the net after two minutes but was caught offside. AP
    Gabriel Jesus - 6: Had his moments but does not look like he has the striker's instinct to be a 20-plus goal a season replacement for Aguero in the long-term. Did have ball in the net after two minutes but was caught offside. AP
  • Riyad Mahrez (sub Jesus 58) 7: Thought he had scored but was disallowed by VAR after handball by Foden earlier in the build-up. AFP
    Riyad Mahrez (sub Jesus 58) 7: Thought he had scored but was disallowed by VAR after handball by Foden earlier in the build-up. AFP
  • Nicolas Otamendi - (sub Laporte 79) NA: No chance to make impact. AFP
    Nicolas Otamendi - (sub Laporte 79) NA: No chance to make impact. AFP
  • Bernardo Silva - (sub Sterling 79) NA: Too late to make an impact. Getty
    Bernardo Silva - (sub Sterling 79) NA: Too late to make an impact. Getty
  • Joao Cancelo - (sub Walker 73) 6: Good time for a defender to come on when your team is 4-0 up. AFP
    Joao Cancelo - (sub Walker 73) 6: Good time for a defender to come on when your team is 4-0 up. AFP
  • Alisson Becker - 6: Left hopelessly exposed by a defence that has been so good this season. Will have been relieved that Mahrez's goal that flew in at his near post was disallowed. No chance with any of the goals, to be fair. Reuters
    Alisson Becker - 6: Left hopelessly exposed by a defence that has been so good this season. Will have been relieved that Mahrez's goal that flew in at his near post was disallowed. No chance with any of the goals, to be fair. Reuters
  • Trent Alexander-Arnold - 6: Not as traumatic a night as Robertson on other flank but still one to forget for the right-back. Getty
    Trent Alexander-Arnold - 6: Not as traumatic a night as Robertson on other flank but still one to forget for the right-back. Getty
  • Joe Gomez - 4: Gave away penalty and was generally outplayed by England teammate Sterling. Hooked at half-time. AFP
    Joe Gomez - 4: Gave away penalty and was generally outplayed by England teammate Sterling. Hooked at half-time. AFP
  • Virgil van Dijk - 7: Liverpool's best defender, which isn't saying much for once. Getty
    Virgil van Dijk - 7: Liverpool's best defender, which isn't saying much for once. Getty
  • Andrew Robertson - 4: Had a magnificent season but suffered a rare blip at the Etihad. Pulled out position for second and third goals and struggled to deal with Foden. AFP
    Andrew Robertson - 4: Had a magnificent season but suffered a rare blip at the Etihad. Pulled out position for second and third goals and struggled to deal with Foden. AFP
  • Jordan Henderson - 6: Reds' captain has been one of the players of the season but was outshone by likes of De Bruyne and Foden at the Etihad. Getty
    Jordan Henderson - 6: Reds' captain has been one of the players of the season but was outshone by likes of De Bruyne and Foden at the Etihad. Getty
  • Georginio Wijnaldum - 5: One of Liverpool's more unsung heroes but was off the pace tonight. Getty
    Georginio Wijnaldum - 5: One of Liverpool's more unsung heroes but was off the pace tonight. Getty
  • Fabinho - 6. Stuck to his task but was overrun at times by the mobile City midfield. Getty
    Fabinho - 6. Stuck to his task but was overrun at times by the mobile City midfield. Getty
  • Sadio Mane - 6: Control completely let him down when presented with good chance to score in second half. AFP
    Sadio Mane - 6: Control completely let him down when presented with good chance to score in second half. AFP
  • Roberto Firmino - 6: Not his, or Liverpool's, day. Offered little goal threat to City. Getty
    Roberto Firmino - 6: Not his, or Liverpool's, day. Offered little goal threat to City. Getty
  • Mohamed Salah - 7: Forced an early save out of Ederson and hit the post in the first half before City ran riot. Looked the most likely Liverpool player to score. AFP
    Mohamed Salah - 7: Forced an early save out of Ederson and hit the post in the first half before City ran riot. Looked the most likely Liverpool player to score. AFP
  • Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - (sub Gomez 45) 6: Unfortunate to put into his own net when Sterling's shot was going wide. Reuters
    Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - (sub Gomez 45) 6: Unfortunate to put into his own net when Sterling's shot was going wide. Reuters
  • Naby Keita (sub Wijnaldum 62) 6: Game was long gone by the time he came on. EPA
    Naby Keita (sub Wijnaldum 62) 6: Game was long gone by the time he came on. EPA
  • Divock Origi - (sub Firmino 62) 6: Little influence when he came on. AP
    Divock Origi - (sub Firmino 62) 6: Little influence when he came on. AP
  • Neco Williams - (sub Alexander-Arnold 76) NA: No chance to make an impact. PA
    Neco Williams - (sub Alexander-Arnold 76) NA: No chance to make an impact. PA
  • Takumi Minamino - (sub Mane 85) NA: No chance to make impact. AP
    Takumi Minamino - (sub Mane 85) NA: No chance to make impact. AP

Kevin de Bruyne 9, Phil Foden 9; Joe Gomez 4: Manchester City v Liverpool player ratings


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Manchester City gave Liverpool a belated reminder of their power as they thrashed their newly-crowned successors as Premier League champions 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium.

The inspirational Kevin de Bruyne began the rout from the penalty spot with Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden also on target before an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain own goal.

It an unexpectedly crushing and sobering defeat for the Merseysiders in their first match since dethroning City and claiming their first title in 30 years last week.

Cit manager Pep Guardiola said: "We beat the champions, an extraordinary team. We are brave to play, they are brave to play.

"My team I like every single game. We tried to play football, take risks. The best team I have ever faced in my life at high pressing."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said: "Is the game important to us? I saw a brilliant attitude.

"They were quicker than us in mind. We lacked fluidity. Against Man City you have massive problems.

"We had moments. We had chances, we didn't use them. The result we have to take."

To see the player ratings at the Etihad Stadium, click on the arrows in the gallery above or swipe on your mobile device.