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Defending Premier League champions, Liverpool crashed to their third consecutive league defeat at home as Manchester City won 4-1 at Anfield to go five clear at the top.
The loss is a huge blow to their slim hopes of a successful title defence, as the Reds are now ten points behind Manchester City, who have a game in hand; Pep Guardiola's men, meanwhile, won their 14th game in all competitions.
The game was pretty even till Liverpool gave away a penalty. However, Manchester City failed to capitalise, and the half ended goalless.
The visitors opened the scoring when a save from goalkeeper Alisson was not cleared in the danger area. Liverpool soon got their equaliser off a Mohamed Salah penalty.
However, Manchester City pounced on two mistakes from the Liverpool goalkeeper, before adding another to condemn the champions to their third league reverse on the trot at home.
On that note, let us have a look at the player ratings of both teams.
Liverpool Player Ratings:
Alisson - 4/10
The Liverpool goalkeeper was unlucky to concede the first goal, getting down quickly to deny Phil Foden but failing to stop the rebound from Ilkay Gundogan.
However, it was a horror show from Alisson then on, as he needlessly gave away two goals with questionable clearances.
Trent Alexander-Arnold - 6/10
Trent Alexander-Arnold made his mark for Liverpool at both ends in the first half, winning balls at the back before driving forward and putting in useful crosses.
However, he struggled to contain the ever-mobile Manchester City attack in the second half when the visitors drove forward in numbers.
Fabinho - 5/10
Fabinho cheaply gave away a penalty in the first half, but Ilkay Gundogan missed from the spot.
In an abysmal performance from the Liverpool midfielder, Fabinho was booked in the second half after bringing down Phil Foden.
Jordan Henderson - 5/10
The Liverpool captain struggled in the second half, as the Manchester City attackers seemed to target him. Jordan Henderson was unable to cope with Foden's unrelenting movement and was often caught out of position on several occasions.
Andrew Robertson - 5/10
Andrew Robertson was the least involved in Liverpool's famed wing-backs; he only put in hopeful balls into the box for most of the first 45 minutes.
The intended target for both of Allison's horrid clearances, Robertson was situated too high up the pitch. It might have been a tactical instruction, but it cost his side, nonetheless.
Thiago Alcantara - 6/10
The ex-Bayern Munich midfield maestro kept possession in his usual comfortable manner and often looked to play line-breaking passes. However, Thiago Alcantara was removed just after the hour mark when the scores were still level.
Georginio Wijnaldum - 5.5/10
Georginio Wijnaldum was the most mobile of the Liverpool midfield trio in the first half. He drove forward with the ball with purpose, and Manchester City's midfield struggled to deal with him.
However, off the ball, he was not imposing for Liverpool, as Wijnaldum completed no tackle or interception all game.
Curtis Jones - 5.5/10
The 20-year-old was the most defensively alert player in the Liverpool midfield. Curtis Jones made a team-high four interceptions before he was replaced by James Milner in the 65th minute.
Mohammed Salah - 6/10
Mohamed Salah scored Liverpool's only goal of the game off a penalty which he won himself. Otherwise, he was kept in check by Manchester City, who gave him no space to exploit. Salah only had one shot besides his penalty kick all game.
Sadio Mane - 5/10
The performance of Liverpool's number 10 against Manchester City was a far cry from his last appearance against Tottenham Hotspur last month.
Sadio Mane was unafraid to run at Manchester City's defence, but there was no way through the resolute visiting defenders.
Roberto Firmino - 5/10
Roberto Firmino's struggles in front of goal continued against Manchester City. The Brazilian has scored just once in his last nine league games. He did show sparks of brilliance in the first half with some silky touches and deft passes, though.
However, Firmino soon faded as the game wore on and could only muster one shot all game for Liverpool.
Ratings of Liverpool Substitutes
Xherdan Shaqiri - 5/10
Brought on to create or maybe even get the winning goal for his side, Xherdan Shaqiri failed to threaten Manchester City's defence.
The Liverpool forward did well to keep possession whenever he got the ball, but had no noteworthy impact in the final third.
James Milner - 4.5/10
James Milner failed to lift a depleted Liverpool defence after coming on. He struggled to deal with the pace of the game in general, as his side conceded three goals against City during Milner's 22 minutes on the pitch.
Konstantinos Tsimikas - 4/10
Konstantinos Tsimikas came on late but had no impact on the game.
Manchester City Player ratings
Ederson - 7/10
The most involved of the two goalkeepers in the first half, Ederson had to be alert to deny Firmino with a good save.
However, the Brazilian could not save Salah's penalty, which was the only Liverpool shot on target the Manchester City goalkeeper faced in the second half.
Joao Cancelo - 7/10
The Portuguese was very solid defensively, keeping the usually lively Sadio Mane at bay. Joao Cancelo made four tackles and two interceptions in the game.
John Stones - 8/10
The quieter of Manchester City's defensive duo, John Stones was on hand to play out the balls his partner won from the back. He had a team-high six clearances and also scored a goal which was chalked off for offside, though.
Ruben Dias - 6.5/10
Ruben Dias was an absolute rock at the back for Manchester City. The Portuguese was the more active of the two Manchester City central defenders, as he cleared the danger for his side and won multiple duels.
Dias' only fault all game was the penalty he conceded, which, in all fairness, looked like a soft one.
Oleksandr Zinchenko - 7/10
The Ukrainian pretty much dealt with everything that came his way. Oleksandr Zinchenko was on hand to clear the ball out of the danger zone and intercepted dangerous passes. He also kept the dangerous Mohamed Salah quiet.
Rodri - 7/10
Rodri was a very calming presence in the heart of the Manchester City midfield. The Spaniard had the most touches and passes in the first half and was very tidy in possession all game.
Ilkay Gundogan - 8/10
The in-form Ilkay Gundogan squandered the best chance of the first half, as his poorly-struck penalty failed to test the Liverpool goalkeeper.
However, the German redeemed himself in the second half, scoring two goals to continue his rich vein of recent form.
Bernardo Silva - 7.5/10
Bernardo Silva was quiet in the first half but sprung to life in the second, playing some beautiful threaded passes infield.
He did well to intercept Allison's hurried clearance before lifting a gorgeous ball to Raheem Sterling for a simple header.
Riyad Mahrez - 6.5/10
Riyad Mahrez had an uncharacteristically quiet evening, and he almost seemed uninterested. He was more involved in the second half, looking to complete take ons and put in crosses. But the Algerian didn't have his usual dominance on the evening and was the only Manchester City substitution on the night.
Raheem Sterling - 7.5/10
The captain for the evening won a penalty for Manchester City with some fancy footwork in the penalty area.
Raheem Sterling was all over Liverpool's defence, especially Alexander-Arnold. The Englishman was rewarded for his efforts with a simple header into an empty goal for Manchester City's third.
Phil Foden - 8/10
Playing in an unfamiliar false nine role, Phil Foden looked a little lost for most parts of the first half. He came alive in the second half, however, and was almost impossible to deal with by Liverpool.
His darting runs were hard to read by the opposition. Foden was on hand to provide the assist for Gundogan's first goal before driving a bullet past Allison.
Ratings of Manchester City Substitutes
Gabriel Jesus - 7/10
Gabriel Jesus came in for an uninspired Riyad Mahrez and looked the part. He showed his quick feet and mind, providing the assist for Manchester City's final goal of the game with a lovely threaded pass for Phil Foden.
