Player Ratings: Man City 4-0 Liverpool - De Bruyne and Foden run riot

 

Liverpool's first game since being crowned champions didn't exactly go to plan, given the guard of honour by the Premier League title predecessors before being unceremoniously thumped 4-0. Manchester City were at their clinical, free-flowing best while the Reds looked like they were suffering form an emotional hangover.

We run through the player ratings in full from an attacking masterclass and defensive disaster...

MANCHESTER CITY: 7.16

Ederson: 7.72 - Had more work to do outside of his box than in it, rushing out on a number of occasions to thwart Liverpool attacks.

Kyle Walker: 6.90 - Among the more quiet performers for the hosts, won three aerial duels and a tackle before being booked for a nudge on Mane and replaced.

Eric Garcia: 7.25 - Looked a little lightweight at times but read the game well and produced a number of clearances to keep Liverpool at bay.

Aymeric Laporte: 7.13 - A few careless passes but defensively sound, keeping both Firmino and Origi quiet before being substituted.

Benjamin Mendy: 7.12 - A threat as ever going forwards, bar one shaky moment early on failing to deal with a rebound off the post a much improved display after nightmare at Chelsea.

Ilkay Gundogan: 6.82 - Typically steady in the middle of the park with one inspired pass to De Bruyne in the second half.

Rodri: 7.35 - A quiet performance from a defensive standpoint but so effective in possession, with a crucial pick out in the build up to City's fourth.

Phil Foden: 8.66 - A sparkling display from a special young player who not only looked at home on a pitch alongside some of the best players in Europe but stood out with an assist and a well taken finish for his fourth league goal post-lockdown.

Kevin De Bruyne: 8.43 - Mesmeric in the first half in particular, opened the scoring from the spot, assisted the third and played a big hand in the fourth before tiring a little late on.

Raheem Sterling: 8.37 - Try telling Sterling this game meant nothing, scoring his first league goal against his former club and winning the penalty for the opener. Could easily have had a hat-trick but caused Liverpool's defence huge problems.

Gabriel Jesus: 6.70 - Industrious as ever, the Brazilian still seems to be lacking sharpness in the opposition box.

Subs: Riyad Mahrez (6.62), Joao Cancelo (6.12), Bernardo Silva (6.02), Nicolas Otamendi (6.22)

 

Player Ratings: Man City 4-0 Liverpool - De Bruyne and Foden run riot

 

LIVERPOOL: 5.98

Alisson: 5.51 - Could do little with City's four goals but had his blushes spared with a last gasp strike ruled out having been beaten at his near post.

Trent Alexander-Arnold: 5.97 - Showed fight to make five tackles but an uncharacteristic lack of quality and a few lapses of concentration.

Joe Gomez: 5.01 - Given the runaround by Raheem Sterling in the first half and replaced at the break as a result having conceded the penalty for the opener and been beaten easily for City's second.

Virgil van Dijk: 6.44 - Liverpool's best performer with such a modest score says it all. Avoided the careless mistakes of those around him but way below his best.

Andrew Robertson: 5.62 - All at sea in the first half, caught out of position on numerous occasions, most notably for City's third goal just before the break.

Fabinho: 6.26 - Broke up play well early on but was bypassed too often thereafter and failed to really sure things up when moving into the back four.

Jordan Henderson: 6.17 - Overrun in the first half, put in a more spirited display as the game wore on but his frustration was clear to see and saw him booked late on.

Georginio Wijnaldum: 5.95 - Utterly anonymous before being replaced in the second half and not good enough in possession.

Mohamed Salah: 6.39 - Denied by the post with a decent effort in the first half but carried relatively little threat as the game progressed.

Roberto Firmino: 6.12 - Kept possession well enough but in truth did very little and was replaced just after the hour.

Sadio Mane: 5.87 - Missed a good chance with a header in the first half and his hapless performance was summed up when completely missing the ball in front of goal in the second.

Subs: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (5.64), Divock Origi (6.01), Naby Keita (6.28), Neco Williams (6.54), Takumi Minamino (5.95)

Player Ratings: Man City 4-0 Liverpool - De Bruyne and Foden run riot