Jurgen Klopp admitted Manchester Metropolis are the one aspect able to “smashing” his newly-crowned Premier League winners after Liverpool’s first match since turning into English champions resulted in a Four-Zero thrashing on the Etihad. Metropolis despatched a warning shot of their intentions to take the title again subsequent season as Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden all struck earlier than half-time to inflict simply Liverpool’s third league defeat in 71 video games. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s personal objective rounded off a depressing night time for Klopp’s males, who might have conceded many extra within the second half.
The hole on the prime of the desk between the 2 stays 20 factors, however Liverpool’s cost to higher a sequence of information set by Metropolis two seasons in the past was stalled on a chastening night time for the champions.
“I wished to see an excellent perspective and I noticed that, the boys had been actually combating. No one was like ‘hey I’m coming right here, we do not care’. We care so much. That’s the way it feels, it feels not good and it shouldn’t really feel like it’s,” mentioned Klopp.
“If there’s a staff on this planet that may smash us like this it’s most likely Metropolis however we’ll come once more.”
Metropolis started the night by giving a guard of honour to their opponents, however confirmed little respect as soon as the motion acquired underway.
“I noticed them within the guard of honour they usually had been so targeted, they did not even say ‘thanks’. That’s the reason they’re champions of Europe and the Premier League,” mentioned Metropolis boss Pep Guardiola.
“They drank plenty of beers up to now week however they arrive right here with out beers within the blood to compete in opposition to us.”
The early indicators prompt Liverpool would be capable of choose off a leaky Metropolis defence that has value them their title.
Mohamed Salah struck the publish and Sadio Mane headed wastefully broad as possibilities got here and went for the guests.
“We had our moments the place we had been actually near make one thing,” added Klopp. “They used our errors, we did not use their errors.”
Liverpool’s first huge error got here when Joe Gomez pulled Sterling to the bottom inside the realm and De Bruyne transformed the ensuing penalty.
Sterling was suspended by England supervisor Gareth Southgate after he squared as much as Gomez within the canteen on worldwide responsibility the day after Liverpool’s Three-1 win over Metropolis at Anfield earlier within the season.
‘Subsequent season began right this moment’
The Metropolis ahead properly did his speaking on the pitch this time as he scored for the primary time in a aggressive match in opposition to his outdated aspect by turning inside Gomez and sending a shot by way of the defender’s legs as Liverpool had been caught on the counter-attack.
“We had a check in opposition to the present champions to make a degree and we did sensible,” mentioned Sterling. “Subsequent season began right this moment and we did properly.”
Foden has been vastly spectacular because the Premier League’s restart from a three-month layoff and the 20-year-old mixed with De Bruyne for an excellent one-two to go away Andy Robertson floundering earlier than lifting the ball over the advancing Alisson Becker to make it Three-Zero.
However for the Brazilian goalkeeper and a few wayward ending, Liverpool might have been on the top of an embarrassing scoreline early within the second half as Gabriel Jesus fired straight at his worldwide teammate, Sterling noticed a shot deflected simply broad and Virgil van Dijk cleared off the road from Foden.
There was a contact of fortune when Metropolis’s fourth did arrive as Sterling’s shot was heading broad earlier than being became his personal web by Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Promoted
Riyad Mahrez had a fifth objective in stoppage time dominated out by a VAR overview for handball as Metropolis simply didn’t match the 5-Zero scoreline they inflicted on Liverpool on the Etihad in 2017.
However Metropolis greater than laid down a marker and likewise confirmed why they’re among the many favourites to win the Champions League for the primary time when European soccer returns in August.
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