Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has attributed his side’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at Anfield to Ryan Gravenberch sending off.
City gave a defiant response to a hostile reception at Anfield by sealing a dominant win against Liverpool to reclaim top spot in the Premier League in the club’s first outing since being found guilty of 100-plus charges of serious rule-breaking.
Second-half goals from Erling Haaland, Jérémy Doku and Rayan Cherki after Liverpool’s Gravenberch had been sent off silenced a vociferous Anfield that had greeted City with chants of “Cheats” and countless banners criticising their conduct as a club.
Liverpool had gone into the game unbeaten this season under new coach Andoni Iraola, but the absences of Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai due to injury hampered the home side. And when Gravenberch was sent off, City raced clear to claim a big win that extends their 100-percent winning start to the season.
“First half was good from us. We showed our intensity, could’ve done better on occasions where we got on the break,” Van Dijk said after the defeat.
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“They weren’t massive chances but we showed we wanted to win and we had intensity which is the bare minimum.
“Second half the red card changed the game, especially when you concede quickly afterwards. We end up with 10 men is the fact and we concede quickly after and it becomes a difficult game against them again.
“I think the atmosphere is always good here, I’ve been fortunate to play in a lot of big games here.
“For other players maybe it was different but for me I was ready to compete and I think we showed that especially in the first half.”
