Manchester City 0-2 Liverpool: Sensational Salah inspires statement win

Liverpool surged 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League after a Mohamed Salah-inspired 2-0 victory over Manchester City.

The distance between these teams has not been as great since Liverpool last won the league in 2019-20, and Arne Slot’s Reds made their quality count at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Salah scored one and set up another in a brilliant first-half performance from Liverpool.

The Egypt international got the ball rolling in the 14th minute, when his first-time strike from Dominik Szoboszlai’s cute flick deflected in off Nathan Ake.

City, without the injured Erling Haaland, had their moments, with Omar Marmoush seeing a goal disallowed for offside, but Liverpool made it 2-0 when Salah brilliantly teed up Szoboszlai in the 37th minute.

1 – Mohamed Salah has both the most goals (9) and most assists (6) of any player against sides managed by Pep Guardiola in his top-flight league managerial career. Thorn. pic.twitter.com/BmyfSCy5IJ

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 23, 2025

Szoboszlai looked to have turned provider for Curtis Jones to score Liverpool’s third in the 56th minute, but the Hungary international had just strayed offside, with the goal disallowed after a VAR review.

Marmoush went close immediately after, with Alisson making a smart save, but City never truly threatened a comeback as Liverpool claimed their first league win at the Etihad since November 2015.

Data Debrief: Magnificent Mo continues to dazzle

Salah has now scored both the most goals (nine) and most assists (six) of any player against sides managed by Pep Guardiola in his top-flight league managerial career.

He is the first player in Premier League history to score and assist in both games against the reigning champions in a season, while he is also the first player in the competition to have been involved in 40+ goals in two different seasons.

The 32-year-old has now both scored and assisted a goal in 49 separate league matches in his career in Europe’s big-five leagues. Since Opta have this data available (from 2006-07), only Lionel Messi (102) and Cristiano Ronaldo (65) have done so more in those divisions.

40 – Mohamed Salah is the first player in Premier League history to be involved in 40+ goals in two different seasons.

42 in 2017/18 (32 goals, 10 assists)
40 in 2024/25 (25 goals, 15 assists).

Legend. pic.twitter.com/CCV0j3lYN6

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 23, 2025

This was also the 11th league match this term in which Salah has both scored and assisted. That is the most such occasions by a player in a single season in one of Europe’s big five leagues since Messi for Barcelona in 2014-15 (11).

He needs just one more away assist and one more away goal to set league records in both categories, too.

Salah has provided 11 assists on the road this season, and has scored 16 away goals.

Liverpool actually had fewer shots (eight to 16) than City, but their slightly higher expected goals (0.71 to 0.63) shows the Reds created the better chances overall, and they were ultimately comfortable as they took a huge stride towards winning the title.