Premier League blog: Manchester City v Liverpool recap

Manchester City 5-0 Liverpool

Manchester City team: Ederson (46), Walker, Stones, Otamendi (71), Mendy, Danilo, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Silva, Agüero, Jesus (57).
Subs: Bravo (46), Foden, Mangala (71), Sane (57), Gundogan, Delph, Bernardo

Goals: Aguero (24), Jesus (45+6, 53), Sane (77, 90+1)

Booked: Otamendi (6), Fernandinho (27)

Liverpool team: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Klavan, Moreno, Henderson, Can, Wijnaldum (58), Mané, Salah (45), Firmino (67).
Subs: Karius, Lovren, Gomez, Milner (58), Oxlade-Chamberlain (45), Solanke (67), Sturridge.

Booked: Alexander-Arnold (19), Can (80)

Sent off: Mane (37)

• Live football scoreboard

FT: Manchester City 5-0 Liverpool

Late Sane double puts the gloss on it for City, who maintain their unbeaten record in the Premier League this season with a very pleasing performance.

Reds cards change games, of course they do, but they were a goal to the good at the time of Mane's dismissal and didn't waste the opportunity to get one over on a potential title rival. City are now 5/4 for the title ahead of the rest of today's Premier League action, which can followed right here as Dave Tickner guides you through the games including the £1million Super 6.

90+1: GOAL - SANE! Manchester City 5-0 Liverpool

I gave him the big build-up when Sane stepped off the bench and gladly he's delivered in style with two goals, the second of which is probably the goal of the game as he curls a fantastic left-foot effort into the top corner from outside of the area.

89: A faint rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone can be heard, but it doesn't last long. It's been a humbling in the end for Liverpool and next up they host Sevilla in the Champions League. A good chance to put this effort behind them, but a big challenge of that there's no doubt.

87: What a goal that would have been. De Bruyne unleashes Sane on the left with a fine throughball and his cross is weighted to perfection for a sliding Aguero to get on the end of the it and deliver the coup de grace. Mignolet dives across and just spreads his body wide enough to form enough of a barrier. It's another good save and it's tempting to say 'what score would it have been without Mignolet today?', but that phrase is plain daft.

86: Rare glimpse of goal for Liverpool but Henderson can't quite latch onto a long ball over the top. Understandably, and wisely, he does not attempt a high-footed flick over the oncoming goalkeeper...

85: Silly, hacked challenge from Sane on Moreno but amazingly he escapes punishment, other than a stern word or two from the referee.

84: Gabriel Jesus and Aguero have starred in front of goal but Kevin De Bruyne my Man of the Match, by a street. He's just the best footballer on the pitch.

83: Poor from Can, who does have a habit of not playing too well when under the cosh, as his attempted flick clearance goes straight to Aguero. Thankfully, for Liverpool, his effort is not one of his best.

82: Live Price Boost - Sergio Aguero to score a brace - was 5/1, NOW 11/2

80: YELLOW - CAN. Emre Can goes into the book for a frustrated, sliding foul on Sergio Aguero. Nothing malicious, but a booking alright.

79: It's a stroll in the park and the visitors are helpless. The score will, inevitably, not reflect how effective Liverpool looked early on in the game but therein lies the beauty of football.

77: GOAL - SANE! Manchester City 4-0 Liverpool.

Speak of the devil, and he shall score the fourth goal of the game (I believe that's how it goes). Wonderfully neat, first-time finish from Sane who flicks home Mendy's fine cross at the near post.

76: Matip barges Sane off the ball and that's clearly a part of the game where the young City man can improve. He looked to be getting there physically towards the end of last term, but he'll have to be stronger than that.

75: De Bruyne gets away from his man again and picks up space on the left channel but his cross towards Aguero is cut off at the pass.

74: I digress, and City almost did add to their tally but Mignolet makes another reasonable parried save.

73: May sound crazy of me to suggest the hosts should really go for the jugular, but having the chance to deal a massive defeat to a close rival has implications further down the line in the campaign and could really crush a team what had looked so confident so far this year.

72: Mignolet has enough on his plate but now has to make a sharp save from a Matip flick at the near post following a wicked cross from the left. More goals to be had, should City wish to put their foot down.

71: SUB - Substitutes all done and dusted as Mangala comes on for Otamendi, who is a lucky man in many ways having been readily exposed by Salah in the first 20 minutes or so.

70: The ball into the box is dealt with easily enough before a long ball upfield forces Henderson into heading out for a throw.

69: Reds take a breather with some much-needed possession before former Citizen Milner wins a free-kick on the wide right after a clumsy challenge.

68: Mendy bursts down the left and sets up a nice-looking move but the shaven-headed Silva's flick finds an offside team mate.

67: SUB - Final Liverpool change as Firmino is rested, with Dominic Solanke coming on.

66: Good, close control from Firmino and Oxlade-Chamberlain then finds Alexander-Arnold in a promising, but offside, position.

65: De Bruyne almost caps a fine afternoon's work with an effort on goal, but it's way over the top. Well found on the edge of the box by Sane, who I'd imagine will have a significant part to play for this City team as the season goes on. He's pure class the young German.

62: Backs to the wall still for Liverpool, who are picking their moments to come out of their own half. This is going to be a tiring half-hour for the remaining nine outfield players.

61: Reports suggesting Ederson is being assessed for cheek and jaw fractures. Thoughts with the City stopper, obviously. Still think Mane might have escaped a straight red on another day, but that's irrelevant now.

60: Live Price Boost - Kevin De Bruyne to score the fourth goal - was 9/1, NOW 10/1.

59: Gary Neville suggests that change from Klopp is to "stop the bleeding". Crikey, he's a serious soul isn't he, G Nev.

58: SUB - James Milner on for Liverpool in place of Wijnaldum.

58: This is becoming a nightmare for Klopp and Liverpool. City are just storming at them at will.

57: SUB - Jesus is replaced by Sane.

Nice position to be in for Guardiola, who decides to give Jesus a rest following a pretty draining international break, no doubt.

56: Silky from City now as Mendy is fed through by De Bruyne and his low cross almost finds its way into the path of three onrushing City aggressors. Mignolet sprawls down to gather it up in the nick of time.

55: As Leroy Sane prepares to come on, the now hat-trick seeking Jesus glances sheepishly towards the City bench.

53: GOAL - JESUS! Manchester City 3-0 Liverpool

Fernandinho slips Aguero in on goal and unselfishly he opts to slide it across for strike partner Gabriel Jesus to tap home into the unguarded goal. Brazil and Argentina in perfect harmony.

53: Goal disallowed. Aguero has the ball in the net again but he was stood in an offisde position.

51: Some keeper banter as Mignolet messes about with it with Aguero luring but he just about clears in time.

50: They give it away and Firmino goes direct at the back line with the ball at his feet but he can't find a team mate when eventually opting for a pass. The Brazil forward then forces a corner out of a lunging Stones. Forcing Corners From A Lunging Stones would be a crackingg album title.

49: Pedestrian at the back from City for now. Could Guardiola have told them to just keep the ball? Surely not...

48: Cries go up as Firmino gets back to make a challenge on Aguero close to the Liverpool box but it's deemed a fair tackle by the ref. Replays suggest he was right, just.

47: Moreno doing his best to put City defenders under pressure but he's buzzing about without doing a great deal. It's quiet in the Etihad now and Liverpool can surely only hope of keeping it that way for as long as possible.

46: Sub - Oxlade-Chamberlain on for Salah at the break. Probably not the dream debut for the midfield man. Though he's presumably going to play fairly centrally, which is what he wanted wasn't it?

Some light reading while you digest that mad half of football as Nick Hext unearths a strong Sky Bet EFL fancy. Click here to read this thoughts and don't forget the Super 6 £1million has to go today!

Half-time Price Boosts - Check out all the live odds and offers at the break, including Aguero to score the third goal enhanced from 7/2 to 9/2 and De Bruyne to score from outside the penalty area at 15/2 from 7s.

HT: Manchester City 2-0 Liverpool

A strange half of football to welcome back the Premier League, with Liverpool having enough chances to take the lead early on but it's been downhill rapidly since Sergio Aguero's opening goal, which hardly came out of the blue but was too simple for the hosts.

With Sadio Mane then sent off for a high boot on the stricken Ederson, City doubled their lead through Jesus and unless Liverpool change things significantly at the break we could be talking another big-match mauling.

45+6: GOAL - JESUS. Manchester City 2-0 Liverpool

De Bruyne instrumental again but he's afforded far too much time on the ball on the City left. He picks out the perfect cross right onto the head of Gabriel Jesus, who is not to be denied this time. His header flies past a helpless Mignolet and the writing is now very much on the wall for Liverpool, who are begging for the break.

45+3: Goal disallowed. Jesus heads home a fantastic ball from Kevin De Bruyne on the right but the striker's starting position is just offside and the 'goal' is rightly disallowed. Reds look there for the taking at the back. I mean, even more than they did at the start.

45+2: There'll be eight minutes of added time at the end of the first half. Great cross from Mendy on the left finds Walker and he tries to pop it back for Aguero but it's intercepted.

45+1: SUB: After quite a lengthy delay, Claudio Bravo is ready to take Ederson's place between the posts for City.

39: Ederson is being treated on the pitch and it would appear he'll be substituted, which in itself should not affect a referee's decision. But Mane obviously walloped him in a nasty incident.

38: Reds down to 10 men and they are now 25/1 to win the game, with City into 1/8 and the draw on offer at 7/1.

The live in-play Price Boosts include Sergio Aguero to score a brace at 6/4 from 11/8.

37: RED - MANE! Sadio Mane is sent from the field for dangerous play.

It's one of them. This is going to divide opinion. The ball is sent over the top of the Man City defence and Mane goes after it, with Ederson rushing out to meet him. The keeper tries to head the ball as it's on the edge of the box, Mane goes up with the boot (eyes on the ball) and connects with said head.

Mane gets his marching orders and personally I feel that's amazingly harsh. But off he goes.

36: It's not frantic, but it's not far off. City the dominant force in the middle of the park now but both sides looking dangerous when their defences are isolated.

35: Close-range shot on goal from Stones at the resulting corner is also saved by an increasingly-busy Mignolet.

34: Chance for Jesus! He robs it from Klaven on the Liverpool left and squeezes his way into the box before having his attempt saved by Mignolet. He was under pressure from a couple of Liverpool players attempting to rescue the situation but a chance nonetheless.

32: Liverpool looking a little frustrated at times now and it's understandable after having enough opportunities to have got on the scoresheet. But Aguero is so clinical in front of goal and you cannot afford him many chances.

30: Salah robbed by De Bruyne in a dangerous position but Liverpool win it back and release Salah down the right whose pace once more gets him into a shooting position. He opens his body in an attempt to find the far corner but Ederson gets down well to beat the ball away.

29: Wide - and well wide. Moreno, Alexander-Arnold and Can all fancy it and the latter gets the only. His curling effort doesn't have half enough whip on it and sails out of harm's way.

27: YELLOW - FERNANDINHO. Liverpool trying to respond but City strangle the attack and mount their own before Mane bursts forward and is brought down by Fernandinho right on the edge of the area. Big chance this.

24: GOAL - AGUERO. Manchester City 1-0 Liverpool.

City appeared to be starting to struggle but in the blink of an eye they're 1-0 up after De Bruyne slips a delicious pass into the path of Sergio Aguero, who does what he does best. On rounding the on-rushing Mignolet, he calmly slots into the empty net.

23: City straining at the back under the pressure and Mane forces a corner from Stones, who looks a little rattled. Reds looking dangerous again. Just as I type that, Jordan Henderson basically fluffs and air-shot on trying a left-foot volley from the edge of the area...

22: Salah skinks Otamendi once more on the right wing and he dangerously storms into the City area before weakly flicking a cross-shot straight at Ederson with the outside of his boot. Harsh to suggest he was greedy there, but the cut-back for Firmino looked on in a big way.

21: Liverpool come away with the ball and Can makes good inroads before the ball comes back to him via Moreno and Mane. He attempts a little chip through to Mane but the striker is unawares, sadly.

19: YELLOW - ALEXANDER-ARNOLD. Good physical battle in midfield but Firmino is pulled up for a rough-looking challenge before Alexander-Arnold gets the wrong side of De Bruyne and has to bring him down.

18: Shot from Can from around 25 yards but he slips as he pulls the trigger and it badly affects the power he's able to generate. Nothing to see here.

17: Live Price Boost - Mohamed Salah to score first, was 10/1, NOW 11/1.

16: Walker gets his first chance of delivering some quality from the right byline but he fluffs his lines and hoofs it far too long and out for a throw on the opposite flank. Disappointing from the former Spurs man.

15: First sniff of a chance for Firmino as he gets on the end of a Henderson cross from deep, only to nudge it tamely towards the waiting Ederson.

14: The raw speed of Salah opens up a potential break for Liverpool but City do well to bring the run to an end before he can properly look up and pick a pass. Salah looking dangerous, though.

13: Promising stuff from City and Fernandinho's precise low drive forces a fair save from Mignolet. Replays suggest it was going just wide anyway. Subsequent corner not up to scratch.

12: Nervous looking touch from the young Liverpool full-back sees him balloon the ball back towards Mignolet but only manages to fly out for a corner. It ultimately doesn't cost his side with Jesus penalised for a soft foul following a short corner.

11: Wijnaldum tries to pinch a yard or two with a throw in on the right before the referee has a couple of words with Trent Alexander-Arnold. Time wasting? I'm not convinced.

9: Brief lull as City dominate the ball without putting the visitors under any real pressure.

8: Matip puts the ball behind for a City corner and De Bruyne's cross is almost brought down by Aguero but he's on the turn and under pressure as Liverpool force it clear.

7: Moreno tries to go for goal direct from the free-kick which looks the wrong option, meanwhile City break away and De Bruyne's low show is comfortably saved by Mignolet. Bright enough start from both sides and no sign of the lunchtime slumber.

6: YELLOW - OTAMENDI. First booking of the match as Otamendi scythes down Salah right on the edge of the penalty box to the right hand side.

5: Neat play from Salah on the ball before Moreno is cool under pressure from advancing City strikers to calmly play it out of trouble.

4: Can caught on the ankle but there's nothing to worry about as the slick-haired German is back to his feet.

3: De Bruyne almost slips Aguero in behind before Mane is penalised for what looked a fair tackle mid-way through the Liverpool half on the right hand side. De Bruyne's delivery is good but Jesus can only get a slight glancing header to it and the ball rolls behind for a goal-kick.

2: Corner to the Reds after Moreno's effort is deflected out and Ederson makes a comfortable catch at the near post direct from the corner.

1: Liverpool gets us under way and already they're pressing high up the pitch to gain possession before passing it around at the back and allowing Mignolet a touch. That's old-skool Liverpool.

1227: Looks to be a good buzz about the place as the players take to the field, which hasn't always been the case at the Etihad. But if they can't get up for this one then there are serious problems aren't there. Stand by for kick-off and hopefully a terrific start to a huge day in the Premier League.

1220: We're only three games in but both sides are unbeaten and it's fourth v second. City are into 11/8 favourites in the outright Premier League market, with Liverpool still on offer at 11s despite their promising start and battering of Arsenal last time out. What price the Reds if they win this one? 6/1? Might be something along those lines. Food for thought for anyone willing to wait that long for a spot of value.

1213: Never mind my tips, anyway. Our expert in the field is David John and he has previewed every top-flight game and highlighted his best bets for the action. Follow this link (right click, open in new tab - don't leave me!) to read his wise thoughts, featuring a wager on Liverpool to win the day's opener.

1210: Guardiola is magnificent at sounding like he couldn't care less. He does, of course he does, but he doesn't give the media too much to cling onto does he?

"This kind of game, against top players, is why we are in this world.

"I've said many times before sometimes I'll play one (Aguero/Jesus), sometimes I'll play both of them. The idea is to score goals."

Thank you Pep.

1204: Tactically, it's hard to avoid jumping to the obvious conclusion that the hosts will dictate possession, with Liverpool sitting deeply in a bid to create spaces between City's midfield and defence. That's where Mane, Salah and Firmino can be truly deadly and we saw it in this fixture with Coutinho, Lallana and Firmino a couple of years ago. City's challenge is to penetrate Liverpool's core, where Henderson and Can do provide a pretty solid barrier for their back line. The big issue, though, will be at set-pieces where City have some of the best deliverers of a dead-ball in the league.

With that last point in mind, I've had a couple of shillings on John Stones to score first at 33/1. There's so much attacking flair on the field but I wouldn't be shocked at all if the opener came from a corner.

1200: Jurgen Klopp explains some of his team selections: "City have a very offensive line-up but they have adapted to the speed we have in our team. They have a high-quality defence, and up front they have quality. We need to be brave, but it is difficult. Dejan Lovren is not injured, but he has felt the intensity, so Klavan's in. Trent has fresh legs."

1158: Here's a lovely little stat for you - Sergio Aguero has scored in six of his last seven appearances against Liverpool and he's very much the sort of players who has his teams, isn't he? Sky Bet have enhanced the odds on Aguero and Liverpool's Roberto Firmino both to score any time from 5/1 to 7/1.

Aguero is back into the side today from the one that faced Bournemouth, with John Stones and Kyle Walker returning. Vincent Kompany (injured), Raheem Sterling (suspended) and Bernardo Silva are the players to make way.

For Liverpool there's also three changes from the side that embarrassed Arsenal. Mignolet returns for Loris Karius in goal, Trent Alexander-Arnold takes Joe Gomez’s position at right back and Ragnar Klavan replaces Dejan Lovren in the heart of the defence.

1152: DO NOT FORGET - the bonus £1million Soccer Saturday Super 6 jackpot must be won today. It will be won today. You don't stand a chance if you do not enter.

You can make your predictions right here - swiftly and cost-free.

1147: Great to see Aguero and Jesus both start for City and with Silva and De Bruyne the providers you'd have to be confident of the hosts creating enough chances to win the game. That's why, along with home advantage, they're odds-on favourites at 19/20 with Sky Bet.

But Pep Guardiola hasn't really impressed against the bigger sides since coming to the Premier League, whereas Klopp has excelled in such matches. Surely Liverpool are the value at 3/1, while those who honestly can't split these two supposed heavyweights are getting 29/10 the draw.

The pre-match Price Boosts include the following:

Sadio Mane to score first - was 6/1, NOW 7/1
Gabriel Jesus to score first - was 7/2, NOW 9/2

1144: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain among the substitutes for Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool - he's hopefully got a long career ahead of him at the Anfield club, but the early indications are he has moved from Arsenal's first XI to Liverpool's bench... The transfer window is a silly business, isn't it?

1130: With just 15 minutes before the teams are announced, why not send us your thoughts on the match? Get in touch with me at matthew.brocklebank@sportinglife.com and I'll post the pick of your emails here for public consumption.

1125: The Premier League is back, thank heavens above. The international break comes as an annoying interlude for just about everyone who follows the English game and I dare say most of the players feel exactly the same about the schedule, but we're back in business with a potentially cracking match at the Etihad today.

It's Manchester City versus Liverpool - probably the most exciting attacking side in the top flight against without doubt the most exciting counter-attacking side.

Sky Bet make over 2.5 goals a 4/7 chance and over 4.5 just 3/1, which says it all. As a cynical old punter I'd suggest there has to be some value in backing a drab goalless draw on this sleepy September lunchtime at a monstrous 18/1, but with these notoriously iffy defences on show it's quite hard to argue the case, other than it being a pretty tempting price.