Manchester City defeated Liverpool 3–0 at Anfield on October 11, 2026, after Ryan Gravenberch received a second yellow card in the 62nd minute. The victory kept the visitors undefeated in the Premier League while setting off fiery fan confrontations involving goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
An Anfield crowd numbering 60,338 spectators welcomed the visiting side with intense hostility under the management of referee Chris Kavanagh. Prior to kickoff, banners and chants referenced independent regulatory findings detailing financial rule breaches between 2009 and 2018. The home supporters repeatedly shouted cheats at the visiting squad throughout the afternoon.
The visiting side took to the pitch with Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal behind a defensive line consisting of Matheus Nunes, Rúben Dias, Marc Guéhi, and Joško Gvardiol. Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernández patrolled the central midfield positions, while Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo, and Iliman Ndiaye lined up alongside Erling Haaland in the attacking setup orchestrated by their manager.
Meanwhile, the home side deployed Alisson in goal, protected by a defensive quartet of Ronald Araújo, Jérémy Jacquet, Virgil van Dijk, and Kerkez Milos. Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister marshaled the midfield, supporting Víctor Muñoz, Florian Wirtz, Bradley Barcola, and Lewis Koumas in the starting formation chosen by their manager.
Ryan Gravenberch Sees Red Card as Manchester City Takes Control
The match remained scoreless and tightly contested for more than an hour of play. The turning point arrived when Ryan Gravenberch caught Jérémy Doku on a counterattacking run, drawing a second yellow card and leaving the hosts with ten men. Manchester City immediately capitalized on the numerical advantage.
Erling Haaland broke the deadlock in the 65th minute following a deflected cross from Jérémy Doku. Just three minutes later, Doku added a second goal with a bending strike. Rayan Cherki completed the scoring in the 78th minute after collecting a pass from Elliot Anderson and eluding a challenge from Jeremie Frimpong.
The French pounced with a dazzling shooting fake before rolling the ball into the Liverpool goal.
The success extended Manchester City’s advantage at the summit of the Premier League table to a three-point margin over Arsenal after six rounds of fixtures, whereas Liverpool surrendered their early-season unbeaten status. The victors arrived at the fixture following a 2–0 away victory against Porto in continental competition, while their upcoming schedule features a high-profile European clash against Paris Saint-Germain at the Etihad Stadium. Prior to that European encounter, Paris Saint-Germain recorded a resounding 6–1 victory over Slovan Bratislava, setting up a meeting between two flawless undefeated sides.
Gianluigi Donnarumma Clashes with Anfield Supporters After Final Whistle
The final whistle brought an emphatic 3–0 victory for the visitors, yet tensions spilled over as goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma lost his composure while walking down the tunnel. Rather than ignoring the vocal abuse from the stands, the European Championship winner turned back and engaged in a heated argument with supporters who continued shouting accusations.
The unfolding disciplinary scrutiny stems from an independent commission investigation that reviewed 115 separate charges, concluding that the club committed rule breaches in 114 instances between 2009 and 2018.
Dominik Szoboszlai Sits Out Due to Hamstring Tightness
Manager Andoni Iraola faced a depleted roster after the international break. Dominik Szoboszlai sat out the fixture entirely due to hamstring tightness after logging 347 minutes across four matches for the national team. Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo also missed the contest due to ongoing injury concerns.
The defeat marked Andoni Iraola’s first major setback since taking charge at Anfield. The team’s summer acquisitions, including Bradley Barcola and Florian Wirtz, struggled to establish control against a resolute visiting defense that conceded an expected goals figure of just 0.07 in the opening half.
The calendar for English football features several other matchups across the division, including fixtures featuring Crystal Palace hosting Nottingham Forest and Hull City entertaining Everton at 15:00. Meanwhile, domestic league action in Hungary highlights the Budapest Honvéd FC versus Újpest FC clash scheduled for 16:45 at the Bozsik Aréna, alongside a fixture between ZTE FC and Nyíregyháza Spartacus FC starting at 14:45 in Zalaegerszeg.