Cherki strike completes Manchester City’s 3-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield
Manchester City defeated Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield in the Premier League on October 11, 2026, with Ryan Cherki’s finish completing goals from Erling Haaland and Jérémy Doku.
The match was played against a backdrop of sustained jeering from the Kop after an independent commission found City guilty on virtually all of more than 100 charges relating to Premier League financial rules; City have appealed. The crowd repeatedly branded the visitors “cheats” and suggested relegation, and the publication of the commission’s document “the Tuesday before last” was said to have framed the occasion.
City attempted to avoid street-level taunts by routing their team buses behind the stadium, but the atmosphere inside remained loud and pointed. Visiting supporters brought inflatable bananas and vintage shirts and displayed banners backing club chair Khaldoon al-Mubarak; Liverpool’s Kop unfurled banners that included an Oasis lyric reading "after all, you really robbed us all" and a prominent sign calling City “cheats” with a long run of pound signs.
The opening period yielded little in the way of clear chances and featured a brief altercation in the 12th minute after Alexis Mac Allister and Elliot Anderson tussled. Early incidents that raised the noise included Ronald Araújo’s second-minute sliding challenge on Antoine Semenyo and a moment when Marc Guéhi was penalised but not booked for going to ground; Araújo received a yellow for demanding Guéhi be shown one.
Liverpool were without several regulars after the international break, having lost Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak to injury during that period, and Andoni Iraola started Lewis Koumas in a full league debut up front. Koumas produced the first decent effort after the restart, which Gianluigi Donnarumma saved, and Liverpool had a spell of pressure in which Gravenberch tested Donnarumma and Mac Allister volleyed wide.
The contest shifted decisively when Ryan Gravenberch, already booked for a first-half foul on Anderson, collected a second yellow for a challenge on Jérémy Doku in the 62nd minute. Doku, who had been introduced in the 56th minute, was heavily involved thereafter as City took advantage of Liverpool playing with ten men; City’s goals came from Erling Haaland, a curled finish by Doku and the late strike by Ryan Cherki. Doku also nearly set up Nico O’Reilly, and Haaland swept home from a deflected Doku cross.
Cherki’s goal originated from a pass he dummied from Elliot Anderson before running on to a back-heel from substitute Josko Gvardiol; Cherki then cut away from Jeremie Frimpong, on as a Liverpool substitute, and finished. The sequence produced the third City goal that completed their victory.
The result preserved Manchester City’s 100% start to the Premier League season and handed Liverpool their first defeat under manager Andoni Iraola.