Manchester City v. Liverpool | PREMIER LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS | 4/1/2023 | NBC Sports

Guardiola makes three changes but he keeps it back forward and goalkeeper the same with Kevin De Bruyne coming back into that midfield vase shape into a midfield three as opposed to a midfield four and up front the league leading goal scorer Holland not quite fit for this match so Alvarez starts up top in the number nine role he'll operate slightly differently more as a false nine but will still get in the box and he's very goal dangerous but on the right hand side Foden ruled out for this season after having surgery for appendicitis he's had a really good season good balance five goals four assists well Klopp's back four and goalkeeper name themselves really captain Jordan Henderson comes back into the midfield for Bycetich he's out for the season Harvey Elliott has appeared in all 40 games for Liverpool incredible stat for him the young midfielder and Fabinho of course just at the base of that midfield holding things together up top Cody Gakpo four goals in his last six Premier League games and of course Mo Salah he enjoys playing against City he's scored in each of the last three games versus Man City this season a watching brief 42 goals sitting on a plastic blue seat Liverpool's sights now are set lower but their need to win is absolutely as acute so they are both obliged Graham one of the the fundamental factors here neither of them played against Morocco and Tangier last Saturday De Bruyne up by Van Dijk cushioned by Mahrez and hit by Rodri Alisson behind it yeah more fantastic football and awareness from City lovely flick on by De Bruyne to free Mahrez up and not able to get the ball over Van Dijk who's in an excellent position it's Mahrez that took a coat of paint off the post Alisson looked very comfortable actually good awareness of where the posts are just gave it a little bit too much to do perfect in terms of height Alexander-Arnold shotters on his way Gakpo's alongside it is Diogo Jota and it's Mo Salah stunned silence in the Etihad clocked reluctant to celebrate until there is ultimate confirmation because Jota may have been borderline there he held his run he went early see him there on the edge of the uh the center circle he just stops there and then he goes he's on side it's a Kanji but below or behind him I should say that plays him on and this is a fantastic reward for for their patience Mo Salah takes a chance Jota's in he wants to go by himself a Kanji does well to recover and he just gets him off balance there with that little tug the ball falls really kindly but Mo Salah took the chance supporting Jota and what a delightful finish that is they've had to absorb pressure Liverpool they've been brave and my word what a what a finish what a assist it was a substantial one here's Gundawan lovely response by City fantastic football back to that rhythm and there's your man again Gundawan just such a clever player getting between two Liverpool defenders come off his shin a bit that Mahrez isn't he it's not the cleanest strike underneath it goes down as an opportunity he'd be expecting to hit the target in that situation Riyad Mahrez Dubrojna nicking it on here for Mahrez Alvarez in the middle Gundawan alongside that's Ilkay Gundawan this is Jack Grealish Alvarez everyone's bouncing up and down the big boy himself on behalf of the man who fills his boots I can tell you now that's why Pep Guardiola comes to work every day to see things like that what a beautiful beautiful goal absolutely stunning it gets lucky here Dubrojna just gets a foot on this I think it goes through Robertson's legs as he tries to intercept it but then look at this Mahrez head up Gundawan again who's been sensational composure awareness two touches just pivots on the ball feeds it to Grealish first time into the box Alvarez making some great movement again patient in his play everything about this is calmness tapping in the end but it's built on such fantastic foundations this goal what a lovely team goal that is for City to get back in the game that is a smashing goal and one that will mean plenty to a man who's had to live in the shadow of Erling Haaland but who almost invariably when he has played has played to a very very high level kept a clean sheet until today in six of the last eight premier league games but failed to score in five of the last nine Alvarez oh what a smashing ball and Mahrez is onto it and there is Dubrojna champions on a charge inside the first second half minute from behind City lead that's another lovely goal from a City perspective but absolutely disastrous from a Liverpool point of view they're four against three and they go for this ball look at four City players all lined up against three really stretched Liverpool players it's a really decent switch but there's a huge amount of space for him to hit and then Dubrojna is the wrong side of van Dijk and the rest of the defence it's a beautiful ball in by Mahrez with his right foot lifts it over Robertson takes out Alisson with the accuracy across the six yard line and for the second time this afternoon it's a tap in this time it puts City ahead a mammoth goal a mammoth moment a mammoth mood changer Kevin Dubrojna, Rodri, Alvarez, Mahrez, Riyad Mahrez Julian Alvarez City are happening and Liverpool look absolutely hypnotized there where the way City were passing the ball around them moving into changing positions static Liverpool nobody moving contrast that with the blue shirts of Manchester City Alvarez in a tight area moves the ball off its line Alexander-Arnold just about does enough to stick a foot out and there's your man Gundogan gets into the box so well finds himself in a bit of space brilliant composure knows where to strike the ball high towards Alexander-Arnold into the uh into the corner and Salah's in the middle it's Andy Robertson for Liverpool he took it away and clashed with Gakpo who went flying Dutch knee on Dutch knee the referee has given nothing VAR a checking and Gundogan's going the other way Alvarez, Grealish, Jack Grealish, Alisson flew yeah you wonder you wonder if that should be a booking there for Gakpo throwing himself to the ground that easily Simon Hooper's having a word with him now as is Jack Grealish whose strike was excellent you know Tim and Robbie were saying that Grealish needs to bring a few more goals here's the uh the dive that should be a booking it wasn't even close to being a penalty it's the first of eight fixtures in April including two Champions League quarterfinals against Bayern Munich that's tasty for Pep Guardiola an FA Cup semi-final and as well as Liverpool as mentioned Arsenal on the April calendar here's De Bruyne and there's Grealish delicious moment which he proudly embraces he has been a delight he is impish he is fun he is bang on target and Manchester City are pulling stylishly away oh that caps a fantastic afternoon's football for Jack Grealish he's been inspirational one of the standout players in a city team that has shone so brightly this afternoon in total control of the game lots of passing keeping their options open the game stretching from a Liverpool perspective you see De Bruyne just cut inside takes Alexander-Arnold with him then makes a run in behind Trent Alexander-Arnold's given up in terms of a recovery run simple football really from City's perspective but quality lovely ball put on a plate and attacked with confidence by Jack Grealish and it's a really lovely goal from his perspective but just shows how far Liverpool have fallen so quickly in this second half compared to their first half standards. City so special so deliciously smooth what a team they are the cream cream in which Liverpool drowned having momentarily had their head well above water Mo Salah scored a splendid early goal a lead that was just so brief though Alvarez equalized before half-time and immediately after half-time City flew into a different gear a gear with which Liverpool could not live. De Bruyne up promptly, Gundogan smartly and Grealish impishly had City pulling away this was a performance illustrative of just how beautiful football can be and just how powerful just how gleaming a machine Manchester City's machine can be and you are only left to reflect that if Arsenal can hold off this torrent of excellence and torrent it is what a remarkable achievement it will be for them because City are coming and doesn't Jurgen Klopp just know it his window of Champions League opportunity has been pushed a little bit closer to closure Manchester City's window of title chasing opportunity is glaringly wide open again that was a joy to behold that is football as it was intended to be played and City won it Rebecca by four splendid goals to one. Hi there I'm Rebecca Lowe studio host for NBC's coverage of the Premier League don't forget to hit subscribe to watch more videos all season long for even more Premier League content from original series to live matches head over to Peacock and be sure to tune in for Premier League mornings every weekend on USA Network and on Peacock we will see you over there