James Milner enjoyed an influential debut for Manchester City by creating two goals in a convincing 3-0 home victory over Liverpool.
Barry opener followed up by Tevez brace
James Milner enjoyed an influential debut for Manchester City by creating two goals in a convincing 3-0 home victory over Liverpool.
The midfielder made an immediate repayment on the fee City paid Aston Villa last week by teeing up Gareth Barry to score the opening goal before curling in the corner which led to the second.
Carlos Tevez, who was credited with City's second goal, made certain of his team's first Premier League win of the season with a penalty against a Liverpool side which posed only a sporadic threat.
City were in front on 13 minutes when Milner was played into the area and he pulled the ball back for his old Villa team-mate, and former Liverpool target, Barry to side-foot beyond Jose Reina.
Despite the open nature of the game, clear-cut chances were scarce with neither keeper seriously tested until City extended their lead on 52 minutes.
Milner's corner was directed goalwards by Micah Richards and the merest of touches from Tevez was enough to take the ball past Reina.
Liverpool were denied a route back into the game five minutes later by a combination of the post and excellent goalkeeping as, after Steven Gerrard's shot came back off the upright, David Ngog and then Fernando Torres were denied by superb saves from Joe Hart.
The third goal arrived midway through the second half when Tevez sent Reina the wrong way from the penalty spot after Adam Johnson had gone down under a rash challenge from Martin Skrtel.
City's professional performance, under the watchful gaze of owner Sheikh Mansour, provided evidence of their ability to mount a title challenge this season, while a campaign of rebuilding appears to lie in store for Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson.
Mascherano absence
Liverpool started the match without Javier Mascherano after Hodgson confirmed the midfielder was 'not in the right mind' to play after a bid from Barcelona had been rejected.
The visitors were also quickly on the back foot during the game as Johnson drove wide on nine minutes before playing a role in the opener four minutes later.
Johnson spotted Milner advancing just beyond Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and found him with a smart pass.
Milner delivered the perfect cut-back into an area he hoped a team-mate had filled. Barry obliged and did the business from 10 yards with a neat side-footed finish.
Tevez and Johnson both found the side-netting from an acute angle later in the half, while Milner's running was intelligent and incisive.
Hodgson's men struggled to retain any source of possession, which just confirmed the gaping hole Mascherano will leave should he get his wish to start another phase of his career away from Anfield.
Liverpool appear too deficient in too many areas for Hodgson to waste much time persuading someone intent on leaving that his future remains on Merseyside.
In a meagre first half, the visitors created just a single chance, which the returning Torres set up for Gerrard, who wasted it.
Explosive effort
The only time Liverpool got any nearer after half-time was in the flurry of activity that followed Gerrard's explosive effort that thudded against the post.
Hart was beaten on that occasion, but not when Ngog had a go. England's new No.1 palmed that away, straight into Torres' path. It seemed a certain goal, but Hart stood firm again, repelling the Spain striker with a magnificent save with his left hand.
That this all came after a second City goal, which Tevez claimed even though any touch to a Richards header from Milner's corner was so faint as to render it impossible to spot.
Reina could not keep it out anyway and nor did the goalkeeper do any better when Tevez sent him the wrong way from the spot after Johnson had been fouled by Skrtel.
All summer, the football talk around these two clubs has centred around breaking into that top four.
On this evidence, only City are capable of that. And, thanks to Sheikh Mansour's largesse, they are capable of much more besides too.
| Manchester City |
Team Statistics |
Liverpool |
| 3 |
Goals |
0 |
| 1 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 3 |
Shots on Target |
5 |
| 5 |
Shots off Target |
8 |
| 4 |
Blocked Shots |
5 |
| 5 |
Corners |
4 |
| 13 |
Fouls |
13 |
| 1 |
Offsides |
3 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 82.5 |
Passing Success |
80.8 |
| 29 |
Tackles |
18 |
| 89.7 |
Tackles Success |
77.8 |
| 54.7 |
Possession |
45.3 |
| 51.6 |
Territorial Advantage |
48.4 |
|
