Manchester City 0-2 Liverpool: Reds move 11 points clear in Premier League as Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai score

Liverpool put in a champions-like away performance to move 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a 2-0 victory over Manchester City.

While Pep Guardiola's side - who were without star man Erling Haaland for the seismic clash - enjoyed much of the possession in the match, their forays into the final third were largely ineffectual, as Liverpool's backline dealt with everything that came their way.

And just 14 minutes into the match, Mohamed Salah emerged for his 30th goal in all competitions this season - firing home a deflected strike after a neat corner routine saw Dominik Szoboszlai's deft touch tee up the Egyptian talisman.

Arne Slot's side continued to deal with the City pressure and break forward at opportune moments, and they established daylight with a fine free-flowing move eight minutes before the break.

Goalscorer turned provider as Salah was found down the right flank, before his quick feet bought time to feed a ball inside to Szoboszlai, who stroked home past Ederson for a two-goal cushion.

Szoboszlai looked to have created a third for Liverpool just 11 minutes after the break, as he teed up Curtis Jones to tap into an empty net, but a prompt VAR review cut Liverpool's celebrations short and gave City a lifeline.

But they failed to truly test Alisson in the opposite net, as they stuttered to yet another defeat in a tough season, as they stay fourth but are now level on points with Newcastle behind them.

Dominik Szoboszlai popped up with two crucial contributions, setting up Salah's opener before grabbing a goal of his own to double the visitors' lead.

And speaking to Sky Sports, he said his side "gave everything" for a crucial three points.

"We played with two number 10s and they managed the game almost 90% but at the end the result is for us and we are happy to take the three points home," he said.

"We were defending 30 metres from our goal and we gave everything. It is part of the game. Sometimes you don't have the ball and we are happy to take the three points."

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The man of the moment, Mohamed Salah, was delighted to see his side past the Premier League champions, and outlined his hopes for Liverpool to keep their composure heading into the run-in.

"It is incredible," Salah told Sky Sports. "It is a very hard place to come and play here. They are a tough team and they have an incredible manager I am glad in the end we won the game.

It is special. Especially when you are in the title race, it is incredible.

"Hopefully we keep calm because sometimes the pressure gets to us. We try to win each game."

Asked if Liverpool are better than ever, Salah continued: "I don't know. It is opinion. Maybe people prefer my first seasons or now but I prefer now because winning the league, helping the young players, it is special.

In summary: Mohamed Salah is a disgracefully good footballer.

Liverpool move 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League table with victory over reigning champions Manchester City, and after this weekend's action, there is an air of acceptance that the top-flight crown is heading back to Anfield.

Sure, Arsenal have a game in hand and could cut the lead back to eight. But with a forward-line plagued with injuries, Mikel Arteta's side are struggling to showcase the consistency needed to cut such a hefty cushion - evidenced by their 1-0 defeat against West Ham yesterday.

But Arne Slot's men, meanwhile, showed every fiber of a team gunning for Premier League glory in Manchester.

They did not dominate possession at the Etihad. They didn't need to. They absorbed everything thrown at them, and broke forward at every opportune moment, notching two expertly-crafted strikes to seal back-to-back 2-0 victories over Pep Guardiola's side.

After a couple of disappointing draws, Slot's side showed a mental toughness against City befitting of sitting upon the Premier League throne, and it would take some capitulation - one which does not seem in their capabilities - to throw it from here.

For City, meanwhile, it's another blow in their season which has seen them surrender their status as an intimidating, imposing juggernaut.

Guardiola's side simply could not lay a glove on the league leaders, and the off-season rebuild cannot come quickly enough for the City boss.

They've done the league double over the champions. A pair of 2-0 victories, and Slot's side roll on with one hand on the Premier League crown.

Job supremely well done this afternoon. When you use the cliché of a 'professional away performance', it would be that.

As he watches his side struggle to a disappointing defeat from the stands.

He will feel he could have given the Liverpool backline something different to think about.

Salah comes off, what a performance - again - from that man.

Alexander-Arnold also makes way, as Harvey Elliott and Jarrell Quansah come on.

Just a little more suffering for the hosts.

The first cross into Liverpool's box this evening which manages to evade all the defenders.

But there's no City player gambling to get on it. To be honest, any sort of impetus they had this afternoon came via Doku (tiring) and Marmoush (subbed).

But you rarely see a defence come out on top quite like Liverpool have tonight. They have contained City so, so astutely.

Salah and Szoboszlai are on a different level right now, unbelievable combinations between the two all afternoon, and they nearly work together for a third.

Szoboszlai bursts beyond the City backline, and Salah finds him with the perfect weight of pass.

The onrushing Ederson, though, manages to thwart it this time.

As Cody Gakpo returns for Liverpool. Diaz makes way, and that's the kind of change you'd think Guardiola would be wanting to make at this stage in the game. Alas, his options from the bench are limited today.

And it will be interesting to see just how they are deployed.

Ilkay Gundogan, Ruben Dias and Mateo Kovacic enter. Marmoush, Ake and Nico make way.

From Lewis, after Savinho nips in to put Nico's long ball over the top into the box.

Straight down the other end, Salah fires into the arms of Ederson from outside the box.

Robertson off for Kostas Tsimikas, while Jones makes way for Wataru Endo.

And in the end it's a fairly routine claim, though Doku's effort could have been going anywhere as he wound up after the ball sat up nicely for him in the box.

And while City remain in possession for much of the second half, they really aren't testing Alisson anywhere near enough.

In fairness, though, any balls put into the box have been thumped away promptly by the league leaders.

As he darts past Robertson to race into space. But he opts to cut back inside and work around the penalty box, before laying off to Nico who sees his effort fly well wide.

And that will spell an end to De Bruyne's afternoon, as he is replaced by James McAtee. Unfortunately, it was another tough afternoon for the Belgian.