WELL, what do you say about that?

The game is gone as soon as Sadio Mane controversially gets his marching orders but there’s no excuse for the way Liverpool played the rest of the game. Schoolboy from start to finish.

Here’s what Anfield Wrap contributors made of that…

Pre Match: The Loss Of Lovren

Johnny Milburn: Any word on Lovren?

Phil Blundell: On the bench so presumably fine.

Ste Evans: Klopp just said he felt a bit leggy after international duty. Same for Gomez.

Dan Vincent: Think we’ll see a lot of this anyway. He rested Mignolet last game!

Gareth Roberts: He went early with the rotation v Palace. Defo going to be a recurring thing.

Josh Sexton: With the African Cup of Nations and transfer window changes hope mid-season international breaks aren’t far off being scrapped.

Ste Evans: Bench looks very strong as well. No Coutinho, Lallana or Robertson involved either.

Josh Sexton: This ^ for all our depth issues.

Phil Blundell: Klavan played both games against these last season.

Kick Off

Ian Ryan: Straight into these, Reds.

Paul Senior: City’s system like a proper five so far.

Dan Vincent: I can’t wait to see Chamberlain warming up. It’ll be like when I seen my first kid being born.

Ian Ryan: Play on Otamendi, can defo be got at.

Josh Sexton: These are so open, why do we look so tentative in their box?

Ian Ryan: Loads of space in the channels, for us.

Josh Sexton: Trent’s having one, here.

Ian Ryan: TAA started really nervous, city defo looking to target.

Paul Senior: Shite.

Ian Ryan: Too easy that ffs, Reds.

Josh Sexton: Klavan playing him on.

Dan Vincent: That’s fucking terrible defending, that.

Ian Ryan: Looked a poor header from Hendo.

Josh Sexton: We’ve not done anywhere near enough when we’ve been in behind.

Ste Evans: Poor from Henderson and Gini needs to be stronger.

Paul Senior: Salah wasteful.

Beats otamendi every time and doesn’t deliver.

Gareth Roberts: Salah is in every time down that side, no final ball.

John Gibbons: Give it Trent, Emre you divvy.

Dan Vincent: Trent should be taking those.

Paul Senior: Big hope of an Otamendi red longer it goes on. I’d swap them, if I was Pep.

Paul Senior: Is he fucking messing?

Josh Sexton: Salah fancy putting his fucking foot through it.

Dan Vincent: He misses so many of them.

Ian Ryan: Ffs, Salah lad, that needs to go in.

Gareth Roberts: Salah has got to score. Mane does so well there to find him.

Paul Senior: Open your body and get it off the ground — you’ve scored. Terrible, that.

Johnny Milburn: Salah keeps finding that space — impressed with their goalie.

Ste Evans: I’d switch it up for 10 an give Mane a run at Otamemdi, here.

Josh Sexton: Fuck off Klavan.

Ste Evans: Jesus.

Dan Vincent: Klavan is horse shit.

Paul Senior: Fella in front’s about to get sparked, here.

Both centre halves are appaling.

Matip the fucking Netto Nesta. Shite.

(Mane red card)

Paul Senior: WHAT!

Ian Ryan: Wtf.

Josh Sexton: That’s a fucking terrible decision. Omg.

John Gibbons: Joke.

Paul Senior: John Moss the worst cunt ref in the league.

Horrendous.

Josh Sexton: Fucking soft twat.

Ste Evans: An absolute joke of a decision, that.

Ian Ryan: Fucking daft cunt. Completely ruined the game.

Dan Vincent: Incredible. Didn’t take his eyes off the ball once. Moss the absolute twat.

Ian Ryan: He’s clearly trying to play the ball.

Craig Hannan: He’s kicked him in the head. But he had eyes for the ball, has to go for it.

Josh Sexton: Goalie’s out his box, it’s a 50-50.

Ian Ryan: Bravo hasn’t saved a shot in about two years.

Josh Sexton: Be boss if these had any other songs other than one about Gerrard.

Need the whistle, here.

Paul Senior: Wins the ball.

Ste Evans: To be fair that doesn’t look too good.

Gareth Roberts: What is it we’re the victims of? Why are we always the victims? What isn’t our fault? Facts clear about Hillsborough. Culpability of some Liverpool fans clear over Heysel. So why is this song being sang at football grounds in 2017? Confused ‘ere.

Johnny Milburn: City fans being classy — always the victims ringing out.

Soccer AM scruffs.

Dan Vincent: Shite fans.

Josh Sexton: Shit ground, no fans

Paul Senior: Trent having a mare, here tbh.

Josh Sexton: Dunno where you go from here.

Gareth Roberts: Sound the way we get the warning of the disallowed goal then allow the same thing to happen again.

Dan Vincent: Could be horrible this today. Our defending is gross. Who the actual FUCK is marking him, there. I hate everyone that says we didn’t need a CB.

Ste Evans: Just saying that. Unforgivable.

Ian Ryan: Really poor to let that cross come in and no one fucking near Jesus.

Gareth Roberts: Any centre halves, there?

Half Time

Ian Ryan: That couldn’t have gone much fucking worse.

Phil Blundell: I asked one Robbo. Right on the segregation, never said anything.

Gareth Roberts: Is right, Phil.

Josh Sexton: Not sure what Klopp does from here. Both sides have been all over the place defensively but these have been much more clinical in behind. We’ve shit ourselves every time we get a sight of goal. The red makes our task that much harder.

Ian Ryan: 11 v 11 and two down you still have a chance but its game over now. Red card has killed it.

Gareth Roberts: Salah is still getting in on that side but his decision making has been all over the shop. Needs to be much more clinical. In truth though, can’t see it. Down to 10, 2-0 away to the favourites for the title. Miracle gear to get anything out of this now.

Ste Evans: The reverse angle of the Mane challenge isn’t pretty. Looks. Red card to be fair.

Josh Sexton: Still think no matter what the contact he’s got eyes for the ball and the way the ‘keeper advances and drops his head makes it a 50-50.

Don’t think injury or aftermath should come into the thinking.

Ste Evans: I agree there’s no intent. But his foot’s head height and goes through his face. Nearly takes his head off.

Second Half

Paul Senior: He’s took fucking Salah off.

Ste Evans: Been so wasteful though, Paul as you said. Chambo will roast Otamendi.

Josh Sexton: Chambo to bag a hatty and we all go to town.

Gareth Roberts: If it’s there I’ll give you the money meself.

Josh Sexton: Too easy again.

Ian Ryan: This could get really ugly.

Dan Vincent: Our defending is a shambles. Fuck me.

Ian Ryan: Regardless of 10 men our defending at times is truly horrendous.

Josh Sexton: You’d think at two down it might put a rocket up your arse…

Paul Senior: Going.

Gareth Roberts: Switching off all over the show. Mad line, no organisation, dead easy to get behind us. Shite day. The ball has been in the net five times for fuck’s sake.

Phil Blundell: Write this off completely, what’s the point in anything? We were good until the red card. Man deficit against these is too big to do anything. Just go again on Wednesday.

John Gibbons: Half way between the two of you. It’s our hardest game of the season so no shame losing with what has gone on. But fucking hell they should have bought a centre half.

Josh Sexton: I’m with Gibbo.

Craig Hannan: Klavan looks like a £4m centre back from Augsburg.

And I’m being kind.

Phil Blundell: Maybe but I don’t reckon a centre back saves this.

Like if Lovren starts we’re still getting legged everywhere.

Dan Vincent: Yeah it’s suicide not signing one. Ridiculous shout. Klavan is a fucking ming. His positioning is so bad.
10 men isn’t an excuse for this imo. Played like a gang of fannies feeling sorry for ourselves.

Josh Sexton: Think our main issue here was that we didn’t score despite getting in behind loads in the first 20, if we get that goal it’s a different game. Both defences have been shite yet these are probably gonna have a clean sheet.

Ian Ryan: Klopp argued it was hard to improve on Lovren and Matip (not sure I agree) but it wouldn’t have been hard to improve on Klavan. Not saying it changes anything today but mental not to have signed a CB.

Dan Vincent: David Silva copying my barnet.

Craig Hannan: I can’t warm to it, Dan.

Dan Vincent: His is through choice, though.

This is embarrassing now. 10 men or not, we’ve been dismantled, here.

Ste Evans: Downed tools as soon as Mane went off.

Craig Hannan: Some of the passing has been absolutely dreadful.

John Gibbons: Chambo looks decent.

Josh Sexton: Has he had a touch?

John Gibbons: Yes he has.

Josh Sexton: Tbh I’ve just been telling Trent, Klavan and Albie to fuck off all game.

Johnny Milburn: Let’s get one of theirs sent.

Being crowed at by these nouveau rich scruffy cunts is a little annoying.

Elizabeth Duke must have had a sale on looking at the sovereigns and belcher chains on show.

A victory for petro-ownership. Still a small club.

Ian Ryan: I’ve had better days, like.

Gareth Roberts: Great goal, like.

Josh Sexton: What a way to start a weekend.

Full Time

Ste Evans: Jesus. Pick the bones out of that. Defo the better side till the sending off and should’ve been ahead. Got into so many good positions but final ball let us down.

Looked completely lost once we went down to 10. Was always gonna be tough but to just lash the towel in like we did isn’t good.

Same old problems at the back. Can’t get my head round not bringing in a centre half. Seems a crazy decision.

Gareth Roberts: Checked with a few City fans why I’m always the victim. Still no answers.

Josh Sexton: Loads will point fingers at Klavan today and they could be right to do so but fucking hell Matip was terrible after the red card.

John Gibbons: Attitude was poor on 10. They gave up really.

Ian Ryan: Red card was obviously massive but still shouldn’t be losing that 5-0. Understand the manager looking towards the Sevilla game but we completely threw it in. Plenty not even bothering to track runs or close down in that second half.

Johnny Milburn: Our fans (understandably) saw the coming together between Mane and their keeper as just that a 50-50 ball to be contested.

The City fans reacted when we booed their ‘keeper being stretchered off presumably reasonably seriously hurt — like Pavlov’s dog — with always the victims.

They have it out of the Sky songbook they’ve learned I don’t believe they even knew why.

Great win — amazing attaching display — tarnished by embarrassing chants. Let’s not give it airtime.

Mendy looks dangerous and Sane given the freedom to hurt us.

Collective surrender before half time — I would be questioning attitude, tactics and character of this team in adversity.

Easy to overreact but feel like the game was written off as soon as Mane went.

READ: Manchester City 5 Liverpool 0: Match Ratings

READ: Manchester City 5 Liverpool 0: Match Review

READ: Manchester City 5 Liverpool 0: The Ref Gave Pep The Reprieve City Needed

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