CITY FRIGHTS
THE present is that Liverpool are fine champions, deserving of the lengthy celebrations that perhaps contributed to this defeat. But this exhibition match was about the Manchester City future. And the City future is Phil Foden. The careful nurturing is over, the protective cover off. If he stays fit, there is unlikely to be a player more vital to Pep Guardiola’s hopes of regaining the title than Foden. In harness with Kevin de Bruyne, he was simply a joy to watch. It was not just his slick assist and superb goal that captivated the few inside the Etihad, it was his game-long intelligence, his driving runs. City’s Raheem Sterling said: “We wanted to give Liverpool a good game. You can see the maturity Phil is playing with.” Of course, he was not alone in enjoying himself against a Liverpool side that were, to put it politely, not quite at it. Having said that, there was no hint of the slackness to come when Mo Salah tested Ederson and the upright early on as Liverpool pressed.
But the hangover kicked in after City opened the scoring from the spot. The last time Joe Gomez and Sterling tangled was in a cafe at St George’s Park, the Liverpool defender still sporting the scar to prove it.
And he came off worse in this latest spat, adjudged the guilty party in a shirt-pulling contest and giving De Bruyne the chance to convert another penalty.
Gomez was booked for his troubles before Sterling added insult to injury, claiming City’s second with a shot that nutmegged his England team-mate.
Sterling’s finish was cute enough but the starring role was the assist,
Foden using De Bruyne as a decoy before sliding the pass in for him. This young man is some player.
And his fourth goal since the restart – and City’s third on the night – was a vision, coolly slotting home before half-time following a quick one-two with De Bruyne.
City scored their fourth in the second half when Alex OxladeChamberlain inadvertently slid the ball into his own net from Sterling’s low drive. For Liverpool, a night to forget and a season to remember.
For City, another look at the future. Another look at the brilliant Foden.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said: “If you want to lead this story in the direction we were not focused, then do it. I liked my team’s attitude.”