In a result no on quite expected, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool ran out 3-0 winners against league leaders and champions in waiting, Manchester City at Anfield.
Both teams set out with identical 4-3-3 formations with Liverpool’s fearsome front 3– Firminho, Mane and Mo Salah, available for Klopp. Meanwhile, Manchester City were without Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus took his place up top.
In a 30 minute spell of incredible brilliance, Liverpool were able to put 3 past Manchester City’s Ederson with goals from League’s top scorer, Salah, Oxlade Chamberlain and Sadio Mane putting Manchester city to the sword.
City started the game well enough. They set out to dominate possession, even knocking it around their own half rather than probing for openings, in a bid to quieten down the crowd.
In the 12th minute, however, things went South after the City defence failed to clear the ball from the box after a Firminho shot and Salah was on hand to plant the ball into the net.
The second goal was something special as Oxlade Chamberlain received the ball just outside the box and then proceeded to blast it past Ederson for a second.
Mane rose inside the box to connect with a cross to make it 3-0
And just as they were in January when they lost 4-3 to Liverpool for their only defeat of the season so far, City were bereft of idea.
The second leg will take place next week in Manchester and it will be interesting to see if City can overturn a 3-goal deficit and somehow turn their Champions League fortunes around.