Liverpool shocked Manchester City with three first-half goals at the Etihad Stadium to earn a 4-1 win against Manuel Pellegrini's Premier League title contenders. Eliaquim Mangala scored a strange own goal seven minutes in, while Brazilian duo Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino combined to wreck havoc in the city defence and put Jurgen Klopp's men 3-0 up within 32 minutes.
Sergio Aguero hit back a minute before half-time as Manuel Pellegrini's side tried to regain balance, but the last nail of City's coffin was hit when Martin Skrtel volleyed home. The result puts Leicester City on top of the table. Klopp selected a starting XI with no out-and-out striker, but that mattered little for Liverpool as City could not cope with the visitors' movement in between the lines.
The Reds started with intent and were ahead in just seven minutes in — Firmino's sharp cross to the near post was put in by Mangala as he struggled to readjust his feet. Klopp's side continued to press a City back line devoid of their captain Vincent Kompany, and scored again on the 23rd minute with a fast counter.
Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho displayed excellent skills and understanding. First, Firmino played an cross-pass for Coutinho from the right flank which the midfielder played through Joe Hart's legs to double the lead.
The City defence was again left brutally exposed, this time following a fine back-heel from the effervescent Emre Can, to release Coutinho, and who unselfishly teed up Firmino to tap into an empty net to make it three for the visiting side.
Aguero handed City hopes of a momentum-shift 44 minutes in as he curled home a 25-yard effort past Simon Mignolet, while Pellegrini made two half-time substitutions as Fabian Delph and Fernandinho replaced Jesus Navas and Yaya Toure. Hart made a superb save on the hour to stop Firmino adding Liverpool's fourth. Coutinho then rounding the keeper to finish but was flagged offside.
Kelechi Iheanacho was sent on for Aguero with 24 minutes left, but City were made to pay for failing to find a way back as Skrtel hit a fine volley past Hart from 15 yards to cap a superb day for Klopp and his side.
Super-saturday
Leicester City go top of the league table as they beat Newcastle United 3-0 at the St. James' Park. Striker Jamie Vardy made it 10 goals from as many games this season when he opened the scoring for the visitors in the 45th minute. Leonardo Ulloa and Shinji Okazak rounded of the scoring.
Santi Cazorla failed to convert a late penalty as Arsenal missed the chance to go top of the table with a 2-1 defeat at West Brom. James Morrison and Mikel Arteta's own goal cancelled out Olivier Giroud's first-half opener as the Gunners suffered a frustrating result at the Hawthorns.
Meanwhile, Manchester United got all three points at Watford when a late own goal of a Bastian Schweinsteiger shot was bundled in by Troy Deeney. Memphis Depay opened the scoring for United in the 11th minute but the hosts equalised from the spot through Deeney.
Other Results:
Chelsea 1-0 Norwich City; Swansea 2-2 Bournemouth; Everton 4-0 Aston Villa; Southampton 0-1 Stoke City
>Manchester City-Liverpool Match Centre
>West Brom-Arsenal Match Centre
>Watford-Manchester United Match Centre
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