No matter what happened in terms of the outcome of Manchester City versus Liverpool, the match itself was likely going to be memorable. The first match back after the international break was set up to be important to see how City players responded to the club recently being found guilty of breaking financial fair play rules.
Of course, Liverpool might have needed the victory more. They had nine points through the first five matches, and Man City hadn't lost, sitting atop the Premier League table. Despite the off-pitch fiasco, once the match began, it was all about winning.
In the end, Man City took advantage of the opportunities it received in the second half and defeated Liverpool 3-0. The result likely enraged many non-City fans of Premier League clubs.
Quick takeaways from Manchester City and Liverpool
Liverpool wanted to play City's game
Both clubs obviously like to possess the ball, but City are kings of doing so. Entering the match, the Blues led the Premier League in possession by nearly three full minutes. In the first 10 minutes or so, though, it was Liverpool that controlled the pace of play. Thankfully, that didn't turn into early goals.
As the first half unfolded, City began to get back into form, but still didn't give themselves many chances to put Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker under duress. Just once, in fact, and even that was a relatively easy save.
Semenyo would continue to be a menace for Liverpool in the second half, a half which would become a beautiful one for Manchester City.
The most normal part the rest of the season will be the matches themselves
The new normal before and after matches will likely stay the same for a long time to come. Meaning, pundits will discuss the charges of financial fair play against the City ad nauseam and what should happen to the club, but during the two-hour window of the match itself, normalcy will reign.
Man City players obviously weren't rattled about what has happened off the pitch, but were precise and defensively sound. The club isn't likely to win every match, of course, but at least the best part of being a City fan will be being able to dismiss all the negative noise and focus on the match once is is are underway.
A wounded Liverpool hurt themselves
Liverpool were already missing key players going into the match, but when Ryan Gravenberch picked up his second yellow card in the 62nd minute, the match changed dramatically. Three minutes later, Erling Haaland scored on a wicked swing of his left leg. Jeremy Doku then scored minutes later, and a 2-0 lead against 10 men felt like 10-0.
At this point in the match, Man City had made it clear that even though they will be booed the rest of the season when away from Etihad Stadium, the Blues are going to quit trying to win the league. Would that potentially cause a PR mess for the league? Maybe, but who cares?
8 minutes might have changed the season
We cannot know what will happen for the rest of the season away from the pitch. In six matches, City has won every one. They are an impressive group, and Enzo Maresca has a firm grasp of what his club needs.
Had Liverpool won, City might have begun to doubt their direction a bit under the weight of serious charges that could eventually see the club relegated. But once Gravenberch left in the 62nd minute and City scored two quick goals, one thing was clear: City's players are even more united and driven to succeed against a league bent on not having them be successful.
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