Liverpool produced a scintillating first-half performance to take a 3-1 lead at Manchester City this evening, and it was their Samba stars who inflicted the damage on the hosts at the Etihad Stadium.
Philippe Coutinho created two goals, including Roberto Firmino’s maiden strike for the Reds, either side of scoring himself as Jurgen Klopp’s side ripped apart the shellshocked Citizens in the first half.
Coutinho is a familiar nemesis to City and now has four in five games against them, but Firmino was just as influential in Liverpool’s champagne football after Eliaquim Mangala’s seventh-minute own goal.
The £29m summer signing from Hoffenheim – fee reported by BBC Sport – picked out his Brazilian compatriot with a marvellous reverse pass as the visitors moved two goals in front after 22 minutes.
And Firmino sent Liverpool supporters into dreamland by putting the finishing touches to a delightful team goal, for which Emre Can deserves a share of the credit for his back-heel in the build-up.
Who else but Sergio Aguero, returning from a six-week layoff, pulled one back for City a couple of minutes prior to the break with a fine individual effort, setting up a grandstand second half.
Half-time: Manchester City 1-3 Liverpool
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