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Attendance: 43,597
Liverpool logo
Premier League
Mar 2, 2016 at 8pm UK
 
Manchester City logo

3-0

Lallana (34'), Milner (41'), Firmino (57')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Liverpool dent Manchester City title hopes

Liverpool deal a major blow to Manchester City's title hopes with a commanding 3-0 victory over Manuel Pellegrini's side at Anfield.

Liverpool have cruised to a 3-0 victory over Manchester City at Anfield this evening to put a major dent in the visitors' title hopes and avenge Sunday's League Cup final defeat.

Goals from Adam Lallana, James Milner and Roberto Firmino steered the hosts to consecutive league victories for the first time in 2016, leaving Man City still 10 points adrift of leaders Leicester City.

James Milner is mounted by teammates after scoring during the Premier League game between Liverpool and Manchester City on March 2, 2016© Getty Images

Just three days removed from a League Cup final that went all the way to penalties between the same two sides, it was a slow start to the match at Anfield, with City having the only minor sight of goal in the opening 20 minutes when Fernandinho glanced a header wide from inside the area.

The first shot on target finally arrived midway through the first half when Firmino curled an effort towards goal from outside the area, but it was a routine stop for Joe Hart.

It should have been a routine stop when Liverpool took the lead too, but Hart's lack of foot movement saw him get nowhere near Lallana's tame 25-yard strike as it crept into the bottom corner.

Adam Lallana scores the opener during the Premier League game between Liverpool and Manchester City on March 2, 2016© Getty Images

The hosts had their second just seven minutes later to leave City in trouble, with Lallana and Firmino combining to find Milner, who burst into the box before poking his finish in off the post against his former club.

With their title hopes fading away and even their Champions League place under threat, City had no choice but to throw caution to the wind, and it took an important block from Milner to deny Sergio Aguero a goal back right at the end of the first half.

Manuel Pellegrini took action at half time to bring on Wilfried Bony in place of Raheem Sterling, who failed to make an impact on his first return to Anfield since his acrimonious departure last summer.

It was Liverpool who made the brighter start to the second half, though, with Hart being forced into a smart low stop to deny Divock Origi just two minutes after the restart.

A third arrived shortly before the hour mark to effectively end the game as a contest, with Lallana pouncing on a loose ball before threading a pass through for Firmino to curl into the bottom corner from inside the box.

Fernando and Roberto Firmino in action during the Premier League game between Liverpool and Manchester City on March 2, 2016© Getty Images

Liverpool continued to look the more dangerous of the two sides despite having the match wrapped up, and the visitors needed another save from Hart to deny Milner moments after their third goal.

The final half-hour played out as though both sides knew the match was over, with Jordan Henderson coming closest in the closing stages when his free kick whistled just past the post with Hart rooted to the spot.

Joe Allen also threatened to add a spectacular fourth in stoppage time when he tried his luck with a long-range dipping volley that flew just over the bar and landed on the roof of the net.

City at least ensured that no further damage was done, but the defeat now leaves them level on points with local rivals Manchester United and looking over their shoulders rather than focusing on a title challenge.

Liverpool, meanwhile, climb up to eighth in the table and are now just six points off the Champions League places themselves.

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Outgoing manager Manuel Pellegrini watches on during the Premier League game between Sunderland and Manchester City on February 2, 2016
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


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