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Our referee tonight is Simon Hooper, and he will be assisted by Adrian Holmes and Simon Long. The fourth official is Graham Scott.

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Liverpool: 1 Alisson 4 V. van Dijk 26 A. Robertson 66 T. Alexander-Arnold 5 I. Konaté 14 J. Henderson 3 Fabinho 19 H. Elliott 11 Mohamed Salah 20 Diogo Jota 18 C. Gakpo. Replacements: 9 Roberto Firmino 21 K. Tsimikas 32 J. Matip 2 J. Gomez 7 J. Milner 27 D. Núñez 29 Arthur 15 A. Oxlade-Chamberlain 62 C. Kelleher.

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Manchester City: 31 Ederson 6 N. Aké 5 J. Stones 3 Rúben Dias 25 M. Akanji 8 İ. Gündoğan 17 K. De Bruyne 10 J. Grealish 16 Rodri 26 R. Mahrez 19 J. Álvarez. Replacements: 20 Bernardo Silva 18 S. Ortega 2 K. Walker 80 C. Palmer 21 Sergio Gómez 82 R. Lewis 32 M. Perrone 4 K. Phillips 14 Aymeric Laporte.

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The two sides have met 176 times over the years, Liverpool winning 83 of the matches to City's 48… and with 45 games ending level. Liverpool have won three of their last four clashes in all competitions.

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In all competitions, Liverpool have won two, drawn one and lost two of their last five matches. Their losses came in their last two matches, both 1-0 away losses - first to Bournemouth, followed four days later against Real Madrid.

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Liverpool are still driving through some choppy waters, winning just three of their last five matches in the Premier League. The wins included their 7-0 hammering of Man United at Anfield and they drew 0-0 away to Crystal Palace. Their last match was a 1-0 away loss against Bournemouth.

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In all competitions, City have won their last five games in a row. Their last two games saw them thrash RB Leipzig 7-0 at home in the Champions League, followed by a 6-0 thrashing of Burnley at home in the FA Cup.

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City's form is simply incredible. They have won four of their last five Premier League matches, along with a 1-1 away draw against Nottingham Forest.

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Liverpool are languishing in sixth place on the Premier League table with 42 points from their 26 games. They are seven points off the top four, although teams above and below them also have games in hand.

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City are second on the Premier League table with 61 points from 27 games. Arsenal are eight points ahead of them, played have played an extra game. If City win the two teams will have played 28 games each… but Arsenal (who play later this afternoon) will have a lead of just five points. But first City need to take three points from Klopp's 'kids'.

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Liverpool face a tough task against a Man City side that is burning bright… but Liverpool have plenty of history (and talent) to draw upon in their search for three points at the Etihad.

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Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of the first Premier League clash of the day: it's title-holders Manchester City who host the mighty Liverpool at the Etihad.

1'

Kick off! We are underway here at the Etihad with a massive clash to look forward to - it's Man City vs Liverpool!

2'

City play the ball calmly from the back, the back five all getting a casual touch of the ball. Alvarez is released down the left and City win a throw-in, but Liverpool gamin possession and launch a rapid counter attack…

3'

… good work from Salah, but the ball goes out for a goal-kick. City again play it out from the back casual as you like.

4'

Salah hurries Rodri and wins the ball for the visitors, but the Blues are quick to regian possession.

5'

Grealish goes on a run across the Liverpool box 10 metres out, but Fabinho bings him down. De Bruyne plays the free kick wide, it's played into the box and Alvarez plays it into goal but Alisson gathers with ease.

7'

Fabinho brings Grealish down again and City and the home crowd raise the yellow card alarm, but the ref has a clear head on his shoulders and is content with a free kick, as well he should.

9'

CLOSE! Another great run into the box from Grealish, passes out wide to De Bruyne who crosses perfectly to Alvarez wide on the six yard box, the City man crossing on the volley but Alisson is well positioned to claim the ball.

11'

CLOSE! De Bruyne with a lovely ball in that Van Dijk clears but Rodri gets the ball just outside the box and thrashes a superb shot on goal… it's head height at Alisson who catches it superbly, but that might have stung even if he has two pairs a gloves on.

13'

Coty attack quickly, lovely work from Grealish, City losing control… BUT Henderson catches De Bruyne on the foot 10 feet outside the Liverpool box and just to the right of the box… De Bruyne and Mahrez are licking their lips…

14'

OOOOOOOOOOHHHHH! cries the crowd. Mahrez curls the fe kick beautifully but it scrapes pas the left post. Superb effort… Alisson was beaten.

16'

Liverpool counter at speed, Mahrez slaps a left footer at goal but City's blue wave of defence deflects it.

17'

GOAL, LIVERPOOL, SALAH! 0-1; Unbelievable strike from Salah, curling it into the left corner after a beautiful ball over the top… City's defence held up the initial drive from Jota… who let the ball roll wide inside the box, and Salah stormed in slammed it home like a champion!

19'

YELLOW CARD, LIVERPOOL, SALAH. The goalscorer has a tussle down the right wing with Ake, City winning the throw and Salah slamming the ball into the advertising hoardings in disgust. Ref has no choice but to offer the Egyptian an early yellow card.

21'

CLOSE! City attack now form wide… the ball slides across the six yard box as three City players scramble to get a boot to it with no luck…

22'

MISSED! Gundogan into the Liverpool box, plays wide to Mahrez who slams the laces through it first time but with mos gusto than guile, and his powerful strike flies a few feet over the crossbar, with Alisson seemingly well placed to deflect it if it was on target.

24'

Liverpool in to the box, a ball played to Gakpo on the six yard box, Ederson is down quick to claim the ball in front of Gakpo, but the flag is up for offside.

26'

City with a quick ball into the box which is deflected out for a corner… Liverpool break at pace, Salah ahead of the defenc but Grealish closes him down just as he looked to cross into the box for Jota who was well-positioned and waiting!

27'

ALVAREZ!!!!!!! Haaland leaps to his feet in the stands as City work the ball left to right, some beautiful passing, Grealish crossing low and hard into the box where Alvarez is waiting on the edge of the six-yard box to side-foot it powerfully into the net!

28'

GOAL, MAN CITY, ALVAREZ! 1-1; A truly magnificent goal from City… two teams in great form… we're in for a cracker over the remaining 60 minutes.

30'

City with two nagging forays into the Liverpool box, but of which fail to change the morning's headlines.

32'

YELLOW CARD, MAN CITY, RODRI. The ref collects Rodri's name for his book of names after the City man was cautioned for pulling Jota back.

33'

Rodi clashes with Gakpo who goes to ground… so soon after the yellow… the ref isn't interested as Rodri pulled back quickly but the ref is surrounded by red shirts. But it was also inside the Liverpool half, so free-kick and let's get on with it.

35'

City push forward on attack but are flagged offside.

36'

City have had 64% of the ball, as well as six shots to three. But the figure that matters is the 1-1 scoreline.

37'

City hold off a dangerous Liverpool attack, Grealish going to ground and Alexander-Arnold scrapes Grealish's face with his boot but it's ruled accidental, which is what the video evidence suggests… a minute later Alexander-Arnold crunches Grealish to ground and City have a free-kick in a dangerous position…

38'

Liverpool clear the danger.

40'

City with a corner from the left… some good passing from City before Liverpool counter-attack… looking dangerous near the City box… but the flag goes up (rather late) for off-sides.

42'

City push up and Gundogan has a crack a goal that is on target, but Fabinho slides in to block his effort.

44'

City attack down the right and De Bruyne wins a corner, which Mahrez whips in… Rodri gets he ball on the volley and connects well but his efforts skids wide for a goal-kick.

45'

HALF-TIME, MAN CITY 1-1 LIVERPOOL. No-one has a hope of getting their money back for this match - what a cracker. Two superbly taken goals, some good goalkeeping, plenty of counter-attacking a pace… and a whole lot of tough tackling. This is going to be a cracking las 45 minutes… and we'll have it live for you shortly!

45'

Some crunching tackles from both sides down the left as City look for a last strike on goal… but the ref directs everyone back to the dressing rooms for a cuppa tea.

46'

Kick-off! The second half is underway here at the Etihad!

47'

GOAL, MAN CITY, DE BRUYNE! 2-1; Sweet success for the well-oiled City machine… Mahrez is released with a long-range ball into the Liverpool half, the Moroccan driving into the box and crossing hard and low just short of the six-yard box… Alisson dives out to try block the cross but can't reach it, leaving De Bruyne open to poke it home to take a lead 53 seconds into the second half.

49'

GREAT PLAY! Gakpo gets the ball inside the City box, tussles and turns beautifully before blasting a shot on goal which Ederson blocks well… but the flag is up for off-side.

51'

City glide forward, Grealish chipping into the box for Gundogan to pull the ball down and pull the trigger… but Alisson is well placed and standing strong to stop the shot. Magnificent keeping.

53'

GOAL, MAN CITY GUNDOGAN! 3-1; This side is unstoppable… except when they trip themselves up. Alvarez gets the ball in the box, fires his shot on goal, it deflects to Gundogan, who composes himself for a split second before clipping it into the left-hand side of the net. Superb finish and such dominating play from City.

55'

CLOSE! Gakpo bursts into the box again, gets his shot away on the turn but it's deflected for a corner, narrowly squeezing past the far post.

57'

City working the ball up from the back again… taking their time… frustrating Liverpool…

58'

De Bruyne and Mahrez combine well on the edge of the box but Liverpool counter, Salah was waiting for the ball but didn't get it… Gakpo goes down in the box, the ref not interested… City counter, Grealish curls a shot from the left corner of the Liverpool box… it's on target a great lunging dive from Alisson enables him to get fingertips to the ball to curl it around for the corner. Exceptional keeping from the Brazilian.

61'

CLOSE! Alisson almost caught in possession with the ball at his feet as Alvarez rushed him, then chased after him as other City players closed in, but the Liverpool keeper managed to clear the ball. His heart would have been in his mouth there, though, you can be sure.

63'

Liverpool intercept and look to counter, but the City defence is thick and slick…

65'

City again look to work the ball up from the back…

67'

Mahrez with some lovely footwork coming into the box down the right, turning the Liverpool defence inside out and winning a corner, which comes to naught.

69'

SUBSTITUTIONS, LIVERPOOL. Liverpool look to be giving up here and sparing their players for their midweek clash with Chelsea. Robertson is replaced by Tsimikas, Harvey Elliott makes way for Alexander Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mo Salah is called into the pits as Hamed Mahrous Ghaly Darwin Gabriel Núñez Ribeiro, and Diogo José Teixeira da Silva is on for Roberto Firmino Barbosa de Oliveira.

72'

City keeping the pressure on the visitors now who are struggling for possession.

74'

GOAL, MAN CITY, GREALISH! 4-1; Grealish runs down the left, feeds De Bruyne wide down the left, the Belgian crosses back in and Grealish slides into his shot from a few feet inside the box, his shot screaming low and hard past the diving Alisson and two Liverpool defenders. This side is just incredible… and against LIVERPOOL! Simply incredible.

76'

City passing the ball with ease, giving Liverpool absolutely nothing to work with.

78'

Grealish with a delicious, mazy run across the Liverpool box, the ball attached to his leg by a string, I'm sure of it, before he passes wide to Mahrez.

80'

City pressing up high on Liverpool - quite an incredible sight.

81'

Grealish takes a shot on the half volley near the edge of the six-yard box but Alisson is down beautifully to pound his effort away.

82'

SUBSTITUTIONS. Rodri gets to sit himself and his yellow card down as Silva comes on for a relaxing 10 minutes or so. Liverpool make their final change as Gakpo makes way for former City stalwart James Milner.

84'

Silva almost has the chance for a tap in with his first touch from a corner.

85'

City with some magnificent displays of bullfighting, as the crowds call out OLE! OLE! OLE!

86'

More magic inside the Liverpool box from Grealish and the City frontline, to the tunes of OLE! OLE! OLE!

88'

SUBSTITUTION, MAN CITY. Grealish gets the walk of fame to massive crowd applause after a true man of the match performance, followed by a five-second bear hug from his manager on the sideline. Oh, yes… Grealish is replaced by young Palmer, who relishes any game time with this spectacular side.

90'

Oxlade-Chamberlain chases into the box to challenge for the ball, but Ederson is down well to claim the ball.

92'

Gundogan with a superb turn to beat his man inside his own half, sending a lovely ball down the line, resulting in a City corner. Ball is played out and there is the whistle.

93'

FULL TIME. MAN CITY 4-1 LIVERPOOL. An astonishing display from City, world-class playmaking and finishing as they wrenched the match away from Liverpool. It looked like were set for a smashing contest, but instead we saw City smashing Liverpool aside and without their giant striker! Magnificent play from Pep's charges… and they seem to really be peaking when it matters most in the season. That was rivetting and we hope you enjoyed following the action, and commiserations to Liverpool fans who couldn't have seen that second half performance coming. Enjoy the rest of your sporting weekend.