It was a weekend of great upheavals in the Premier League. While Arsenal and Nottingham Forest stumbled, Liverpool did their job. The 2-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium of Manchester City was a fine result for a team with lofty ambitions. Arne Slot, who arrived with the mission of maintaining the high standards of Jürgen Klopp, is demonstrating that the side hasn't just adapted to his leadership — it has embraced his philosophy wholesale. And leading the charge, as always, is a certain Egyptian named Mohamed Salah.
Follow Playing for 90 on X (Twitter).
When talent and efficiency meet
There simply aren't enough adjectives to do Mohamed Salah justice anymore. On Saturday, against City, he did what's become second nature to him, he won the game. One goal, one assist, taking his season's tally further and cementing his place in a Liverpool side that looks hungrier than ever. The No. 11 now leads the Premier League with 16 assists and 25 goals, topping both charts.
And if that wasn't enough, Salah reached a record milestone, drawing level with Gordon Hodgson as Liverpool's third-all-time top scorer with 241 goals. And a factoid of note, unlike the majority of legendary scorers of the past, Salah is not a center forward. He is a right winger, cutting through defenses and wreaking havoc in his wake. Versus City, a smartly worked corner routine saw him in the perfect position to open the scoring. Later, he returned the favor to Szoboszlai, sealing a victory that could have the significance of a title.
Arne Slot's Liverpool
Arne Slot has made Liverpool different, but not by annihilating the identity of the club. The system he used against Manchester City was a masterclass in tactical acumen and adaptability. Curtis Jones and Szoboszlai played as "false nines," while Luis Díaz and Salah had the freedom to exploit the wide areas at will. This perplexed City's defense and gave Liverpool the dominance.
On the other wing, Jeremy Doku was Guardiola's main threat going forward, but he labored against a Liverpool defense well set up and compact but without losing its biting edge on the front foot. Manchester City, the team that bases its identity on possession football, was facing a Liverpool team content to play without the ball and destroy in transition. And when the moments presented themselves, they were deadly.
City pressured, Liverpool lethal
In spite of a subdued early flurry, the home team was unable to penetrate Liverpool's rear guard wall. Phil Foden did manage to get Alisson to make a simple save, but that was it. Every Liverpool advance forward, though, was with design and on purpose. It was not a matter of numbers but pure efficiency. That is how Salah chose out Szoboszlai for the second goal, a sequence that wrapped up City's fate. The Egyptian forward cut inside and laid the ball off for the Hungarian, who took a calm touch before sliding past Ederson with precision.
There were no such doubts about Liverpool's superiority after the interval. The Reds even had a goal disallowed for offside after a VAR review and could have extended the lead through Luis Díaz, who was denied only by a fingertip save by Ederson.
With the score in their favor and time on their side, Slot tactically maneuvered the game. He brought in Wataru Endo and Kostas Tsimikas to shore things up at the back and shut down any City revival hopes. In the dying minutes, Gakpo almost helped seal a third, but Abdukodir Khusanov came from nowhere with a last-ditch goal-saving tackle.
A victory that resonates in the title race
The significance of this win goes far beyond the three points. It was Liverpool's first Premier League victory at the Etihad since 2015, when Klopp was still getting his feet under the table at the club. And more than that, it was a reaffirmation of the belief that the Premier League title is in Liverpool's reach.
Despite an 11-point lead, Arne Slot is keeping his feet on the ground. After the match, he pointed out the competitiveness of the Premier League and how hard it is to stay at the top: "If you play away at the Etihad, if you win there, it's always a massive win, regardless of the league table. If you play away against a Pep [Guardiola] side, it's nearly impossible to have more possession than them. We knew we'd have to defend a lot, and we did that really well."
Slot is all too aware that the path to the title still has obstacles. Arsenal, for example, has a game in hand and could close the gap. The coach also mentioned tough tests ahead, such as Newcastle, which already caused Liverpool trouble in the first half of the season. And then there is the Champions League, a tournament in which Liverpool will also have to fight hard.