5 major talking points from Liverpool's humbling of Manchester City

#3 City stars fail to turn up

The Man City players were off colour for a majority of the game

One major highlight of Manchester City’s season so far has been the array of stars that have been pulling the strings. Pep Guardiola has built a side that is not dependent on a single player, with every individual – right from goalkeeper to striker – playing a key role in the journey thus far.

However, against Liverpool, that unified machinery was dismantled, with the side tending to rely on individual brilliance rather than teamwork.

The likes of Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva, who are normally the creators-in-chief and the orchestrators of attacks, were totally lost. The Spaniard, in particular, could barely get a touch of the ball, whiles De Bruyne had to drop deep due to Liverpool’s high-pressing game in the first half.

On the wings, Leroy Sane was not at his best, as he lost possession more than any other City player. Even the ever-reliable Fernandinho had a bad day at the office, allowing Jordan Henderson and James Milner to win the midfield battle.

It was a truly terrible outing for Pep Guardiola’s side and the inability of Man City’s stars to show up killed any probability of a comeback.