Liverpool sitting pretty at top of EPL

LIVERPOOL, England (AP):

Liverpool are in control of the English Premier League (EPL) title race. Manchester City are in free fall.

A 2-0 win against City yesterday moved Liverpool nine points clear at the top of the standings and 11 ahead of Pep Guardiola’s four-time defending champions.

Goals from Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah exposed the gap between the title rivals and emphasised the deepening crisis for Guardiola, whose serial title winners languish fifth in the standings.

“We weren’t perfect, but we came close to perfection and that’s the only way you can beat a quality team like City,” Liverpool head coach Arne Slot said.

It’s now seven games without a win for City in all competitions, including six losses during that run.

The latest defeat at Anfield could have been even more emphatic, with Virgil van Dijk hitting the post and Salah missing the target when through on goal, in a game which Liverpool totally dominated.

The home crowd mocked Guardiola, chanting he would be fired in the morning. With his team unable to respond, it was left to him to hold up six fingers in reference to the six league titles he has won in seven years during a period of unprecedented domestic dominance.

“Maybe they’re right, that I must be sacked (fired) for the results we have, but I didn’t expect (that) in Anfield,” Guardiola said. “It’s fine. It’s part of the game. I understand completely and accept it. We had incredible, incredible battles together.”

City’s dominance looks increasingly likely to come to an end this season, with Guardiola enduring the worst losing streak of his managerial career, and Liverpool looking potential champions after such an impressive start under Slot.

It’s 11 wins from 13 games in the league for Slot, whose team also leads the Champions League standings.

Victory against City came days after beating European champion Real Madrid by the same scoreline and having already seen off German champions Bayer Leverkusen 4-0.

“I don’t think anyone, including me, would have predicted this,” Slot said of his team’s start to the campaign.

In contrast, City’s players look bereft of confidence, having thrown away a three-goal lead against Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday, just days after being thrashed 4-0 by Tottenham.

Amorim effect

Ruben Amorim got Manchester United fans smiling again after a 4-0 win against Everton.

In his first Premier League game at Old Trafford, the home crowd serenaded United’s players with “ole” as they played one of their best performances of the season. It marks a big change from the boos that rang around the stadium towards the end of former manager Erik ten Hag’s reign.

In Amorim’s third game in charge in all competitions since taking over last month, United produced their best performance under him, with Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee scoring two goals each.

“It is a nice result. It is important with a new coach and a new way of playing, we are still learning. We have to back up this performance,” Rashford said.

Amorim is undefeated since taking over last month and United is ninth - four points off the top four.

While performances on the field are pleasing supporters, there were protests off it over increasing ticket prices.

A banner displayed both inside and outside the stadium read: “Stop exploiting loyalty”.

In other results yesterday, Chelsea defeated Aston Villa 3-0 and Tottenham drew 1-1 with Fulham.