Manchester City and Liverpool played out a high-quality game in their first fixture since the World Cup pause, with the Sky Blues winning it 3-2 to progress to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.
Erling Haaland and Riyad Mahrez scored early goals at the start of each half, but Liverpool pulled themselves level both times.
City led three times and, on the first two occasions, they were pegged back. On the second occasion, it took Mohamed Salah only one minute to restore parity after Riyad Mahrez had cut inside off Rodri’s brilliant crossfield pass and found the bottom corner.
But, just as he had done for Erling Haaland’s opener – and 24th goal of the season – Kevin de Bruyne delivered a superb far-post cross after 58 minutes, which dropped just over Nat Phillips’ head and perfectly for Ake, who nodded home.
City deserved their win, which keeps Pep Guardiola on track for his fifth triumph in this competition, which would make him the most successful manager in its history.
However, Liverpool – for whom Fabio Carvalho had scored a first equaliser midway through the first half – had their chances, with Darwin Nunez three times shooting across the face of goal and wide of the far post when he was positioned to do much better.
Nunez did set up Salah for his goal when he completely outpaced Aymeric Laporte, but there was no third response from the visitors, whose defence of the trophy is at an end.
