Liverpool mauls Man City, and the Premier League’s new balance of power crystallizes

Just in case there was any doubt that the balance of Premier League power had shifted — away from Manchester City, toward the only club that has interrupted City’s modern reign — Liverpool proved the point with authority Sunday at Anfield.

They beat City 2-0, and the simplest evidence of the shift is now the EPL table. The Reds lead by a whopping nine points, with City 11 points back in fifth place.

But the best evidence was all over the Anfield pitch. Liverpool mauled the four-time defending champs for most of the 90 minutes. In the first half, they extinguished a once-prolific City attack by swarming the ball, biting into tackles, and repelling any attempt to build possession before City had even reached midfield.

The home side scored within 12 minutes, via Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and finally Cody Gakpo.

And they really should have scored more. Virgil van Dijk pinged the post with one header; he narrowly missed with two others.

Gakpo and Salah skied great chances. As a collective, through 60 minutes, the Reds had created 2.3 Expected Goals (xG) — a measure of chance quality and quantity — to City’s 0.2.

City steadied throughout the second half. But on 78 minutes, a Salah penalty sealed the deal. And over 90 minutes, the one-way flow of traffic was overwhelming, and the conclusion clear.

Because this was not just one game. It was a continuation and convergence of two distinct trends: while City has slipped and splintered, Liverpool has soared to the top of the league. Both trends seem sustainable; neither has shown signs of abating; and so, until further notice, this is how the balance of Premier League power is.

The Reds, under new coach Arne Slot, have meshed the most devastating aspects of Jurgen Klopp’s heavy-metal football with technical quality, opportunistic counter-attacking and impressive control. They have now won seven straight in all competitions. They’ve established themselves as the 2024-25 title favorites, and the most complete team in the league.

City, on the other hand, have now lost four straight in the league. They haven’t won in seven games across all competitions — the longest winless run of Pep Guardiola’s managerial career. They look flawed and old, like a fallen power clinging to battle plans that banged-up soldiers can no longer execute.

They have been vulnerable without Rodri, the Ballon d’Or winner whose ACL tore in September.

They have sputtered in the final third, with Erling Haaland’s supporting cast looking rather ordinary.

They have failed to replace Rodri or adjust without him. They have failed to acclimatize to their new reality. They have failed to recalibrate a team that once bossed games and hummed up and down the field like a well-oiled machine.

As all of that crystallized Sunday under the lights at Anfield, joyous Liverpool fans sang to Guardiola: “You’re getting sacked in the morning! Sacked in the mooooorning!”

Guardiola smiled, and, in response, held up six fingers — presumably one for each of the Premier League titles he has won.

Liverpool fans, though, sauntered off into the Mersyside night knowing that No. 7 probably won’t be coming to Guardiola’s trophy cabinet, and to Manchester City, anytime soon.