Manchester City’s stunning fall from grace continued on Sunday as Liverpool eased to a 2-0 Premier League victory over the champions at Anfield, and it was a loss that was not taken well by some of the men in blue.
The win meant the table-topping Liverpool are now 11 points ahead of City, who now find themselves in an unfamiliar fifth position after 13 games.
Arsenal and Chelsea are Liverpool’s nearest challengers, both on 25 points but nine behind the tally of The Reds.
City have now lost four in a row in the league, and after Liverpool fans taunted coach Pep Guardiola that he would be ‘sacked in the morning’, Citizens keeper Stefan Ortega has taken a dig at the Anfield faithful.
No love lost
“Someone told me before that this area [Liverpool] is probably not the best part in the UK. I think the manager reacted really well,” said Ortega.
A 12th minute goal from Cody Gakpo and a penalty from Mohamed Salah in the final quarter secured all three points for the table toppers, as they moved 11 points clear of the champions City.
In the last seven seasons, City have won six league titles to the one of Liverpool.
Guardiola reminded fans of that fact as they began a chant of ‘sacked in the morning’ as the impending defeat would be City's sixth in seven games.
Guardiola turned to the crowd with a wry smile and held up his hands and indicated the number six with his fingers.
"All the stadiums want to sack me, it started at Brighton (in City's 2-1 defeat on November 9)," said Guardiola.
"Maybe they are right with the results we've been having.”