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Liverpool fans tell Man City to hand over the trophy as Reds win puts them 11 points clear

Liverpool fans tell Man City to hand over the trophy as the Reds’ 2-0 win puts them 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Mohamed Salah scored and assisted while Dominik Szoboszlai also netted a well-worked second with many reporters and pundits saying the result pretty much has all but sealed the title for Liverpool.

For Pep Guardiola’s side, they finish the weekend 20 points behind the league leaders, the furthest they have been from the top of the table since July 2020.

Now all they can hope for is qualification for next year’s Champions League, but even that will be a tough test for them, with still so many teams up there battling for a place.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot speaking to Sky Sports on how they beat Man City: “By scoring a set-piece. If you want to win a big game you need a neutral set-piece balance or to score one and not concede. We kept them away from big chances because we made sure they didn’t create as much as they normally do.”

On Liverpool’s opener: “We as a group of people look at how the set-up is, and someone came up with a brilliant plan and we knew that space could be there. The deflection was so helpful because it wasn’t as if we were dominating the game.

“The first half played out better for them than for us, apart from the score. I don’t think they had too many big chance but it felt like they were going to score. A lot in the second half, I can’t remember them having a big chance.

“Ideally, we have the ball more than the other team. But City when it comes to ball possession, they like it a lot and are so comfortable on the ball. The only chance you have to win here is to defend very well.”

Three days ago we had a draw at Villa and people told me we weren’t in a good place and then three days later we win and it changes again. We work every single day to achieve this and it is three months of very hard work to maintain this.

“There is no secret. We are 11 points clear but Arsenal has one game in hand. The best attack we had didn’t end in a goal. You always have to adapt to the challenge you have. A week ago we experienced how difficult Wolves at home was. They will always be difficult games, like today.

“It is easier for us to not get excited because we know what we have to put in. This result was more about defence than attack. It is normal for fanbases to be positive and it is important to understand why we are where we are.”

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola speaking to Sky Sports: “We played very good. Maybe we missed more productivity in the shots but we played against a fantastic team. Maybe at the start it was 50-50 and we could not convert.

“Second half they defended very deep. We have done something we have not tried for many games which was we brought them to their box and tried to beat them there.

“The tactic was to arrive in the final third and the byline and it happened a lot but we did not score. We missed the next bit a little bit and with crosses it is almost impossible to do it because of their size. We could not find the next step.”

Did you target Doku against Alexander-Arnold? “Savinho did the same. We have good wingers, they defend inside and Salah defended today more than previous games. I know the people don’t believe it and I know when we have played really good and we played really good today.”

Pep Guardiola, speaking to Sky Sports on what he has learned in recent weeks: “If you lose, you have to lose the way we lost today. I saw many things that this club has a bright future with the players that we have.

“Except Kevin de Bruyne and maybe Nathan Ake, all the players are so, so young. What the club decides next for the future, there is a bright future for this club in the next years.

“Everyone knows that a part will be here next season for the older players but we have to build for the next step. There is a question of time. Even with the amount of absences we have, we played well. They break the lines and can break behind you. They really threaten but we bring them there and all we missed is that in the final third, it depends on the talent to dribble or shoot in the right moment. From there, we build for the future.

“We are far away. We will see in the future. What we have done in previous seasons is good but now we are away from them. We played with personality which was really good.”

Pep Guardiola speaking to BBC Match of the Day: “It was a good game. Tight game in the first half,. First half it was more open and the second half they defended very deep. They always have the threat but it is not easy to control it. We dropped them. Through our pressing or build-up, dropped the team there. I think Doku and Savinho played an incredible game and get to the byline a lot but then just from there we missed the magic. We played really good so I have no regrets. The chances in the final third, when we want to shoot and cross, for the amount we arrived there we did not create much.

“I saw a bright future. Other than than Kevin [de Bruyne] and Nathan [Ake], they are the future of this club in the next years, with others who will come in future windows.

“So many players are here playing but we know Erling [Haaland] will come and we have important absences. Everyone was really, really good.

“The first goal from the corner but we tried to play and I know how the opponent will play. Second half they were 11 players in the box. We did well because they don’t want to do that. Big compliment to them but I am very pleased with the way we play.”

Will Haaland be back for Wednesday? “I don’t know. I am not saying we didn’t get the result because Erling was not there. That is unfair on the other players. We could finish more but in general it is fine.”

How did Khusanov play? “Really good in Madrid playing in right-back and controlling Vinicius and today so fast and disciplined. Of course he has to improve and he has incredible ability. Nico [Gonzalez] and Omar [Marmoush] too but is not easy for them against a physical team.”

Liverpool defender Andy Robertson speaking to BBC Match of the Day: “Yeah it feels like a big win. Coming here is never easy. I don’t think that we’ve got a great record here since most of us have been here. It is so important to win these games. When people drop points in and around you then you have to capitalise on it.

“To go 11 points clear is good for us. It has been a good weekend but the games are coming thick and fast, the next one is just around the corner. We can enjoy this tonight, rest and recover and go again. Today was a fine performance from all of us.

On if Liverpool had gears in reserve: “I wouldn’t say gears in reserve, but when you see their lineup it was very attacking and we knew that they would try to put us under pressure. We also knew we could hurt them going the other way.

“When you go two goals up you look at the second half and we defended so well and limited them to very little chances. The only criticism of us the last few weeks was that we’ve not kept enough clean sheets. We knew that would be crucial today and everyone put such a shift in to defend.”

On seeing out the season: “We know our fans will get carried away with this performance and we have always said that if that happens we are usually doing something right on the pitch. Certainly it won’t be on us to get carried away until we are champions. We have to keep pushing and there is no place for complacency.”

Liverpool defender Andy Robertson speaking to BBC Match of the Day about Mohamed Salah: “I can’t be bothered talking about him to be honest! No, he’s been unbelievable.

“A set piece routine worked, which is pleasing. Everyone had a role to play and Mo got the glory of putting it in the back of the net. Another goal and assist.

“His work rate going back the other way was unbelievable today, him and Lucho [Diaz] and that was key to us keeping a clean sheet.

“He is on a different world right now and playing out of his skin. We are very happy to have him, that’s for sure.”

Man City winger Jeremy Doku speaking to Sky Sports: “We tried. I had a lot of attacking situations but after the two goals that they scored they played very deep. They defended very well and then played on the counter attack so it was hard for us to find spaces. Some game are like that. We just have to keep on going and take the good things from the game.

On his duel with Trent Alexander-Arnold and the team not building on it: “It is a good question because I passed him a lot of times but it was then the final pass or I don’t know. The most important thing after passing is to create something from it, and I played some good balls in front of the goal but we have to score. We have to analyse the game and see what I can do better and what we can do better as a team.”

On the gap between City and Liverpool: “To be fair if I look at the game I don’t think that they were much better than us. Two goals, one set piece and the second goal was a long ball, so well done to them. We know their qualities and that they like to play in behind. They did well and after it is hard to come back against a team that defends well like that.

“We played well but the situations that we had we could have dealt better with them. Today we played better against them than we did away. Of course there is a gap in points but today you can’t say that they ran over us.”

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