Manchester City suffered their second defeat in a week, losing 2-0 to Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League. This loss denied City a chance to move up to third place, while Arne Slot’s Liverpool tightened their grip on the title race.
Costly Defensive Mistakes Gift Liverpool the Win
City started the match brightly but fell victim to defensive lapses that handed Liverpool two easy first-half goals. Mohamed Salah opened the scoring after a well-executed set-piece, before the Egyptian provided an assist for Dominik Szoboszlai, who doubled the lead with a swift break down the right.
Despite dominating possession and advancing into dangerous areas, City struggled to break down Liverpool’s well-structured defense. The absence of Erling Haaland was evident, as the hosts lacked a clear attacking focal point and failed to create meaningful scoring opportunities.
Guardiola’s Tactical Huddle Raises Questions
During a stoppage in play for Alexis Mac Allister’s treatment, following the disallowed goal by Omar Marmoush, Pep Guardiola seized the moment to gather all his players on the touchline for an impromptu tactical discussion. The Spanish coach focused particularly on Marmoush and Phil Foden while also pulling in Nathan Aké for additional instructions.
It was unusual to see Guardiola involve Aké, a center-back, alongside two of his most attacking players. This suggested a strategic adjustment in City’s build-up play. However, his decision to deploy Marmoush and Foden as dual false nines lacked cohesion, as both players often occupied similar spaces—either pushing high together or dropping deep simultaneously—leaving City without a clear attacking reference.
