In a significant clash at the Etihad Stadium on February 23, 2025, Liverpool secured a decisive 2-0 victory against Manchester City, thereby extending their lead at the top of the Premier League table to 11 points. First-half goals from Mohamed Salah, marking his 30th of the season, and Dominik Szoboszlai paved the way for Liverpool's triumph. The visiting team managed to hold off City’s attacks through a robust defensive display throughout the second half, claiming their first league win at the Etihad since November 2015.
Liverpool's head coach, Arne Slot, has chosen to downplay the implications of his team's current position in the league. Despite an impressive performance and a clear gap between them and second-placed Arsenal—who have a game in hand—Slot emphasised the necessity for continuous focus. "The fans can sing whatever they want, but we know as a team how hard we have to work for every single win," he stated. He further elaborated on the challenges of predicting outcomes based on the league table, noting, "It is so hard to judge the league table before every single game is played."
Speaking about the difficulty of playing against Pep Guardiola's team, he remarked on the magnitude of the victory, asserting, "If you play away at the Etihad and win it is always a big win, no matter what the league table looks like." He acknowledged the quality of Manchester City, recognising it as “almost impossible to have more ball possession than his team has” during a match.
When questioned about his own expectations at the beginning of the season, Slot admitted that he did not foresee Liverpool being in such a commanding position. "No, because you never think like that," he reflected. He outlined the team's goals for the season while acknowledging previous struggles, pointing out that they have performed commendably in both the league and the Champions League, despite facing tough competition.
In contrast, City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, was cautious in his assessment of Liverpool's title prospects. When prompted about whether he regarded Liverpool as champions-elect, he carefully refrained from confirming this assertion, although he acknowledged the significant lead they hold over Arsenal. "How many points advantage for them over Arsenal? It’s a lot," he said. Guardiola emphasised that any failure to stay competitive in the league would stem from a lack of performance rather than desire. "If it doesn’t happen it’s because we were not good enough," he added, highlighting the competitiveness of the league.
As the season progresses, Liverpool now sit comfortably at the top while Manchester City face the challenge of not only closing the gap with Liverpool but also maintaining their Champions League qualification position, presently finding themselves 20 points adrift. The outcome of this match significantly reshapes the title race narrative as Liverpool looks ahead to their next fixture against Newcastle United, holding onto their focus on match-by-match performance, as they have all season.
Source: Noah Wire Services