Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool showed they are more than capable of going head-to-head with the big boys by scoring four goals at Manchester City.
The visitors took the lead after Eliaquim Mangala diverted the ball past Joe Hart after a fine cross by Roberto Firmino.
Brazilians Coutinho and Firmino then turned on the style with the duo combining superbly for both goals. Coutinho scored the second before Firmino added a third.
Klopp’s team played as if they were energised by his fury, as if they, too, were electrified by his hunger. Sure, half the story of this game was that Manchester City were utterly shambolic in defence but the better half was that Liverpool were quite breathtakingly and beautifully brilliant.
Philippe Coutinho was unplayable for long periods of the game, a dancing, dribbling, untouchable sprite who was a mystery City’s defenders could not solve. The Brazilian scored one and had a hand in the other two. His performance was dazzling.