THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME

As the game continued, Liverpool's numerical advantage became more evident. Their confidence oozed through every pass, every movement, and every press. With a 70% dominance in possession, they dictated the tempo, suffocating Manchester City with their relentless intensity.

Every red shirt on the pitch moved in unison, as if guided by a single mind, their passes crisp, their attacks calculated. City, down to ten men after Bernardo Silva's dismissal, had no choice but to retreat into a defensive shell, hoping to strike on the counter.

But Liverpool were merciless.

Each time City dared to break forward, Liverpool snuffed out their attempts with impeccable anticipation. Fabinho and Henderson patrolled the midfield like sentinels, cutting off passing lanes and winning back possession almost instantly.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson surged forward at every opportunity, pinning City's full-backs deep in their own half. The trio of Zachary Bemba, Sadio Mané, and Mohamed Salah were electric, exchanging passes with fluidity, prying open gaps in the fragile City defense.

The pressure inside the Etihad was mounting. Every misplaced City pass, every hurried clearance, only invited another wave of Liverpool's relentless assault. The home supporters sat in nervous silence, sensing that their team was barely hanging on.

Then came the 41st minute, and with it, adversity for Manchester City.

It began with Danilo, the Brazilian right-back, who found himself cornered near the edge of his own box. Sadio Mané, an embodiment of Liverpool's insatiable hunger, closed him down with frightening speed. Danilo panicked. He attempted to clear the ball, but instead, his pass lacked direction—more of a desperate swing than a calculated clearance.

It fell straight to Zachary Bemba.

Positioned just beyond the border of the final third, the prolific midfield maestro didn't hesitate. With a graceful first touch, he killed the ball's momentum and immediately surged forward. But City's defensive midfielders, İlkay Gündoğan and Fernandinho, were quick to react, forming a barrier in his path.

Bemba, however, remained unfazed. Instead of forcing his way through, he lifted his head and spotted Sadio Mané, who had repositioned himself after pressing Danilo. Without hesitation, Bemba flicked a clever pass out to the left wing, splitting the two midfielders with surgical precision.

Mané took it in stride, his first touch immaculate, his second a burst of acceleration that left John Stones scrambling to keep up. But instead of taking on the defender directly, Mané opted for a different route—he whipped a vicious cross to the far post, where Mohamed Salah arrived at full sprint.

The Egyptian timed his run to perfection, ghosting in behind a helpless Aymeric Laporte. With an effortless tap, he guided the ball into the net.

Goal! Mohamed Salah! 42 minutes played.

Manchester City 0, Liverpool 3.

The eruption from the Liverpool supporters was deafening.

Their players sprinted toward the corner flag, arms raised in triumph, while Manchester City's defenders stood frozen, their faces a mixture of disbelief and frustration. The weight of the moment hung over the Etihad Stadium like a storm cloud, thick with tension and resignation.

From the commentary box, Peter Drury's voice rang through the broadcast, capturing the significance of what had just transpired:

"And there it is! This is turning into a nightmare for Manchester City! Liverpool have been irrepressible, unrelenting, and undeniably brilliant! The third goal arrives, and it is vintage Jurgen Klopp Liverpool—high pressing, quick passing, devastating execution! Mohamed Salah, at the right place, at the right time, makes it three! And at this point, it feels like City are staring into the abyss!"

The replay of the goal played on the stadium screens, showcasing the full sequence—Danilo's panicked clearance, Bemba's quick thinking, Mané's pinpoint cross, and Salah's lethal finish. As the images flickered across the screens, Jim Beglin shook his head in disbelief:

"Peter, this is an absolute clinical execution from Liverpool! They are playing with a hunger that City simply cannot match. The intensity, the sharpness, the fluidity—it's all too much for Guardiola's men. I mean, look at that buildup—Bemba's intelligence, Mané's pace, Salah's composure. City have no answer. They are drowning."

Drury exhaled, his voice carrying a mixture of admiration and inevitability:

"And let's be honest, Jim. At this rate, Liverpool could have four, maybe even five, before the final whistle. The body language of these City players tells the entire story—heads down, shoulders slumped. They know what we all know: this is Liverpool's night."

Down on the touchline, Pep Guardiola stood motionless, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. He could feel the game slipping away, his side unraveling against the sheer force of Liverpool's will. He turned to his bench, exchanging quiet words with his assistants, but deep down, he knew—there was no easy fix for this.

Meanwhile, the Liverpool's players jogged back into position, eager to resume play as their supporters sang at the top of their lungs. They could feel it. A statement victory was brewing. And with the first half not even over, there was still plenty of time for Liverpool to turn a dominant performance into an outright humiliation.

The referee soon blew the whistle, signaling the restart, but nothing had changed—Liverpool still played with an unstoppable rhythm, dominating every inch of the pitch with their numerical advantage.

Guardiola's men looked shell-shocked, struggling to regain their composure as Liverpool continued to dictate the tempo with undeniable authority. Every pass was crisp, every movement intentional, and with each wave of attack, City's resistance grew weaker.

Then came the 44th minute, and yet another golden opportunity for Liverpool.

It began with Fabinho, who expertly intercepted a rushed pass from Aymeric Laporte. The Brazilian wasted no time, sending a perfectly weighted through ball into the feet of Zachary Bemba, who had drifted into a pocket of space just before the border of the final third. Bemba, always alert, instantly flicked a pass toward Roberto Firmino, splitting the desperate City defense.

Firmino was now through on goal.

With only Ederson to beat, the Brazilian forward took a quick touch to set himself, but just as he attempted to slot the ball past the City keeper, Ederson reacted brilliantly, diving low to his left to smother the shot. The ball ricocheted away and was eventually cleared by Danilo.

A collective gasp echoed around the stadium—that was Liverpool's fourth goal begging to be scored.

Firmino ran a frustrated hand through his hair, knowing he should have buried that chance. But Liverpool's grip on the game remained unshaken. And soon after, the referee blew for halftime.

On cue, the Liverpool players strode down the tunnel with their heads held high, greeted by the roaring approval of their traveling fans. The job wasn't finished, but the signs were clear—they were on the verge of a famous victory.