LONDON: Manchester City’s 22-game unbeaten record in the Premier League ended as the leaders were swept gloriously aside – albeit with the help of some clumsy defending – by 4-3 by Liverpool.

In fact Liverpool were 4-1 ahead with seven minutes remaining and it spoke volumes for City’s resilience that they pulled two late goals back and might even have levelled in stoppage time when a diving header from Sergio Aguero flew inches wide.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has won more matches against Pep Guardiola – six – than any other manager.

Alex Oxalde-Chamberlain fired Liverpool ahead to the delight of the Kop at Anfield after only nine miuites only for City to level five minutes before half-time when Leroy Sane punished errors by Joe Gomez and keeper Loris Karius.

Liverpool regained command of a high-speed duel of perpetual motion with two goals in three minutes from Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.

In the 59^th minute Firmino shrugged off a weak challenge from John Stones before chipping keeper Ederson then Sane thumped home after Nicolas Otamendi gave away possession.

Mo Salah struck a fourth from 40m in the 68^th minute after Ederson ran out of his penalty box to make a poor clearance which was instantly punished by the Egyptian, lobbing over the retreating goalkeeper’s head.

Substitute Bernardo Silva pulled one further goal back for City in the 84^th minute and Ilkay Gundogan grabbed another in stoppage time.

Fortunately for Liverpool City’s revival came just too late to affect the result of a game in which the hosts, very clearly, did not miss the departed Barcelona-bound Philippe Coutinho.

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