Manchester City maintained their chase for the Premier League title, as despite going behind early on they brushed aside Liverpool 4-1 in an action-packed game at the Etihad Stadium.
Mohamed Salah put Liverpool in front early on, as Diogo Jota laid the ball back to the winger who found the back of the net with expert precision, but the Reds were not ahead for long, as City hit back 10 minutes later.
It was a well-crafted team goal by the hosts as they worked the ball up the field with multiple passes, before Julian Alvarez tapped home from close range to level the score.
The Reds managed to get to half time with the damage limited, but less than a minute into the second half City took the lead, with Kevin De Bruyne finding the back of the net from a Riyad Mahrez low cross off the right wing.
They gave themselves a two goal lead just minutes later, as Ilkay Gundogan smashed a rebound in following patient play by the hosts, and after that point Liverpool never managed to regain a foothold in the game.
Jack Grealish rubbed salt in the wounds for the Reds when he added a fourth goal, having played a slick one-two with De Bruyne, capping off a Player of the Match performance from the England international.
It means that Pep Guardiola’s team close the gap to leaders Arsenal to five points, though the Gunners can extend their lead again later today. Meanwhile, Liverpool stay seven points away from Tottenham and the top four places, with less than two months of the season remaining.
Story of the Match
Jurgen Klopp made two changes to the side that succumbed to defeat last time out in Madrid, as Jordan Henderson and Harvey Elliott came in for Darwin Nunez and James Milner, the Reds reverting to their familiar 4-3-3 formation.
As far as Guardiola's men were concerned, the major piece of team news was that Erling Haaland was not fit enough to even make the bench, with World Cup winner Julian Alvarez replacing him up front.
It was the hosts who started the better of the two teams, with the Sky Blue midfield dominating their counterparts in the early stages - Fabinho was thrice involved in controversial incidents within the first 10 minutes.
As usual, it was Kevin De Bruyne pulling the strings for City, with his shrewd through balls looking dangerous early on, though the chances created were limited to speculative efforts held comfortably by Alisson.
A training ground set piece routine from a free kick almost caught the Liverpool goalkeeper out, but Riyad Mahrez’s left-footed strike curled just wide of the post and the cagey nature of the game was yet to be disrupted.
That was until, having played out from the back, Trent Alexander-Arnold played a pinpoint pass over the top of the City defence to Diogo Jota, who was set free running at goal.
The Portugal international held the ball up and laid it off to Mohamed Salah who was charging up the pitch behind him, before the Egyptian fired past Ederson to give Liverpool the lead at the Etihad.
It was a goal which injected some much-needed life into the game, as City in particular stepped their urgency up a gear in search of a quick response.
De Bruyne continued to carve out excellent opportunities, with chances going begging from the likes of Alvarez and Mahrez, and it felt as though a goal was inevitable soon.
That inevitability proved true, as 10 minutes after going behind, Guardiola's side were level, and it was a sublime move that once again involved De Bruyne.
The Belgian midfielder played a clever pass round the corner to Mahrez, who carried the ball up the pitch, before playing it into Ilkay Gundogan.
He swivelled on the spot and found Jack Grealish in space out wide, who then cut it back across goal to the waiting Julian Alvarez, who had the simplest tasks of tapping home to make it 1-1.
Liverpool then found themselves on the back foot for an extended period of time, having to ride out multiple waves of City pressure, with Mahrez in particular being something of a thorn in the Reds' side with his mazy dribbles up the pitch.
As the half wore on the tension between the teams began to rise, with flare-ups emerging after each and every foul, in a sign of the importance of this game not only in terms of the league, but also the history between them in recent years.
Despite the City dominance in possession, they were unable to create any more clear-cut opportunities before half time, as various corner routines led to nothing, and it was all square at the break after a fast-paced first 45 minutes.
Fast start from the hosts
Any concerns that the second half might take a while to get going in the same fashion as the first were allayed within the first 60 seconds after the restart, as City put themselves ahead in the match for the first time.
A superb cross-field pass from Alvarez found Mahrez in acres of space on the right-hand side, who then put a low cross in towards De Bruyne in the middle of the box, where it was then tapped home with ease by the midfielder, to the delight of the home fans.
Barely five minutes later and City extended their lead with another excellently worked goal; they bided their time, recycling the ball after attempting various avenues, before Mahrez found Alvarez with space inside the box.
The Argentine's shot was blocked by Alexander-Arnold, but the rebound fell right into the path of Ilkay Gundogan, who fired home to give his team a two goal advantage in the blink of an eye.
Liverpool did not completely down tools despite the setback, but they struggled to create anything more than half-chances, as the City defence remained strong, with the Reds not managing a single shot on target in the second half.
With their two goal advantage City were playing fluidly and with confidence, as Grealish came close with a curling effort that had to be pushed behind by Alisson.
Yet, as the game continued there was a concerted effort by those in blue to slow the tempo of the game, recognising the control which they now possessed, and they did so to an exceptional extent.
That is not to say they did not look for another goal however - concerted pressure continued right throughout the 90 minutes, and they got their reward with a quarter of an hour remaining when Jack Grealish found a fourth.
The Englishman played a one-two with De Bruyne, who had the presence of mind to pull it back to the winger, with a smart finish then produced, though the space afforded to Grealish will have been a concern for Jurgen Klopp.
Still City kept pushing, keen to rubber stamp their dominance as they appeared threatening on almost every single attack, but in the end they had to settle for four in a performance which showed beyond doubt that they are still very much in the title race,
Player of the Match - Jack Grealish
There were some star performances across the park from various Man City players, with Kevin De Bruyne, Julian Alvarez and Riyad Mahrez all putting in noteworthy performances in attack, but it was Jack Grealish that stood out as the biggest threat for the hosts.
He has not always had the easiest time since making the move to Manchester, but the 27-year-old was on top form in this match, providing an integral part of an important win for the hosts.
Not only did he pick up a goal and an assist, but he also had three shots on target himself and won numerous free kicks for his side, before being given a standing ovation as he was substituted off near the end.