MANCHESTER – Despite being without Erling Haaland Manchester City had no problems.
Even without the Premier League’s leading scorer, Pep Guardiola’s side rallied from a deficit to crush Liverpool 4-1 and stay in contention with leaders Arsenal.
Haaland, who has 42 goals in all competitions this season, was ruled out of the match at the Etihad Stadium because he failed to recover from a groin injury.
Although they went behind after 20 minutes following Mohamed Salah’s goal, City turned it around with goals from Argentine Julian Alvarez, Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish.
With the win, City kept the pressure on Arsenal and dealt another blow to Liverpool, who are looking to qualify for the Champions League.
The game was one of City’s last major tests of the campaign. With a defeat Arsenal would have had the chance to extend their lead to 11 points.
And it looked like it would become a reality when Liverpool scored almost at the start after Diogo Jota beat the City defense and sent the ball past Salah.
But City equalized with a goal from Alvarez, the World Cup-winning striker with Argentina, off a pass from Grealish after 27 minutes.
Liverpool had no answer to City’s relentless attack in the second half, and De Bruyne fired the ball into the back of the net from Riyad Mahrez’s pass within a minute of the restart.
Gundogan added the third on 54 minutes and Grealish rounded off the day on 74 minutes.
With the win City moved to within five points of Arsenal before the London side face Leeds later in the day.
Liverpool remain seven points behind Tottenham, who are fourth, and remain without a win at the Etihad Stadium since 2015.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have lost three straight duels since crushing Manchester United 7-0 last month.

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