Manchester City secured a convincing 3-0 victory over reigning champions Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium, marking Liverpool's fifth Premier League defeat this season. The result leaves Arne Slot's side eighth in the table, eight points behind leaders Arsenal and four adrift of City before the international break.
Liverpool's title defense suffered a significant blow with a 3-0 loss to Manchester City on Sunday, extending their winless run in the league. The defeat at the Etihad Stadium highlighted defensive vulnerabilities, as City capitalized on opportunities to pull ahead with a two-goal lead at halftime. Liverpool's attempts to mount a comeback were hampered by a controversial VAR decision to disallow a headed goal from Virgil van Dijk, ruled out due to Andy Robertson being in an offside position.
Van Dijk reflected on the incident, stating, "The goals we conceded and the decisions we made could have changed the game, but the reality is that it didn't and we lost 3-0. Now we have to deal with it." He added, "I think the goal should have stood, but I am not the one making the decision." Liverpool have contacted Professional Game Match Officials Limited to express concerns over the call.
Defender Andy Robertson acknowledged the challenge ahead, saying, "Obviously, we've given ourselves a huge uphill battle, but I don't think any of the teams will really look at the league table until we're halfway through." With five losses already—surpassing last season's total of four—Liverpool sit eight points off Arsenal and only three above Everton.
Opta predictions give Liverpool just a 7% chance of retaining the title, with Arsenal favored at 63.6% and City at 22.9%. The result underscores Liverpool's struggles, including sluggish midfield performances and adaptation issues for new signings, as they head into the international break needing to regroup for upcoming fixtures against Nottingham Forest and West Ham.