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Leroy San\u00e9, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan all found the target, but a three-goal blast inside nine minutes midway through the second secured victory for Liverpool, ending Manchester\u2008City\u2019s unbeaten run in the Premier League this season.<\/p>\n
Pep Guardiola made six changes from the side which secured a 2-1 Carabao Cup semi-final first leg win over Bristol City in midweek.<\/p>\n
Ederson, Kyle Walker, Fabian Delph, Nicolas Otamendi, Fernandinho and Sergio Aguero all returned to the starting line-up while David Silva was named as one of the substitutes.<\/p>\n
The weather may have been freezing on Merseyside but a high-intensity start from both sides soon warmed up a capacity Anfield crowd as Liverpool and City looked to probe and press.<\/p>\n
And it was the hosts who drew first blood as they got off a flying start with Oxlade-Chamberlain opening the scoring on nine minutes.<\/p>\n
The former Arsenal wide man exploited a gap in the City back line and was able to drive forward unchallenged before firing a right-foot past Ederson into the right-hand corner of the net.<\/p>\n
Falling behind so early appeared to interrupt the Blues\u2019 normal rhythm and fluency but City gradually rediscovered the form that has lit up the league this term.<\/p>\n
Sergio Aguero almost met a Kevin De Bruyne cross before a deflected shot by San\u00e9 was just inches off target.<\/p>\n
Liverpool remained a constant threat with Salah heading just wide from Oxlade-Chamberlain\u2019s cross but City stayed on the front foot, taking the game to the hosts and deservedly drew level on 40 minutes.<\/p>\n
Kyle Walker was the architect, drilling a sensational 45-yard crossfield ball to San\u00e9. It enabled the German winger to evade Joe Gomez and he ran inside the left channel before unleashing a vicious shot which evaded goalkeeper Loris Karius at the near-post in front of the jubilant City fans.<\/p>\n
The travelling support were almost celebrating again four minutes later as Fernandinho\u2019s rasping shot just evaded the Liverpool goal to sum up a high-octane, high-quality first 45 minutes.<\/p>\n
City remained on the offensive straight from the restart and came agonisingly close to taking the lead in the 50th minute when a superb header from Nicolas Otamendi struck the Liverpool crossbar.<\/p>\n
However Jurgen Klopp\u2019s side were still causing problems and Ederson was called into action to keep out Salah\u2019s thunderous drive before then parrying his cross-cum-shot over the bar.<\/p>\n
Then, against the run of play, the game turned on its head in a disastrous nine-minute spell which saw Liverpool score three times.<\/p>\n
On 59 minutes Liverpool regained the lead and Oxlade-Chamberlain was the creator this time, feeding Firmino who first shrugged off John Stones with a robust challenge before then curling a shot past Ederson and inside the post.<\/p>\n
The Blues were rocked on their heels and within two minutes Liverpool had struck again. Mane had hit the post with a snap shot before then making no mistake with a fine 61st left-foot shot which gave Ederson no chance after Salah had robbed Otamendi.<\/p>\n
It then went from bad to worse on 67 minutes. Ederson ran out from his box to cut-out a through ball but his clearance instead went straight to Salah. From 35 yards out, the Egyptian curled a fine shot over the keeper and into the net.<\/p>\n
City should have reduced the arrears on 78 minutes when Otamendi failed to convert De Bruyne\u2019s excellent in-swinging cross.<\/p>\n
But the Blues did find the target on 83 minutes to offer some hope when substitute Bernardo Silva picked up a deflected cross and then drifted inside before producing a fine crisp finish.<\/p>\n
And never-say-die City further added to the Anfield nerves in the first minute of added time when Ilkay Gundogan finished from close-range after a fine pass from Aguero.<\/p>\n
With the last meaningful act of the game, Aguero agonisingly headed inches past the post from a De Bruyne free-kick as City almost completed an incredible comeback – though the flag was raised anyway.<\/p>\n