Source: Man_City
City 3 Liverpool 0
| Submit Comments| Comments (247)| Printable Version1/1Play SlideshowClose MapCarlos Tevez celebrates City's second goalManchester City served notice of their Premier League ambition with a crushing victory over Liverpool in front of owner Sheikh Mansour. The Sheikh has poured around £1billion into the Blues, and his investment paid dividends on a night when fellow Champions League hopefuls Liverpool were made to look average. Gareth Barry put City ahead before Carlos Tevez claimed the second - although replays suggest the goal could have been scored by Micah Richards. There was no doubt about City's third, Tevez slotting home from the penalty spot as City sealed their biggest win over Liverpool since 1937. On top of the goalscorers, the performances of Adam Johnson and new £23million signing James Milner brought just as many cheers from the Eastlands faithful ? all 47,087 of them. Click here check out our interactive player ratings. Mancini brought Milner straight into the starting line up as part of a five-man midfield, with Tevez the sole striker. Liverpool, meanwhile, left out want-away midfielder Javier Mascherano, with boss Roy Hodgson believing the Argentinian was not in the right frame of mind to play. Johnson was the first to threaten the visitors, the England winger rasping a shot just wide of the upright after nine minutes. But the 23-year-old was soon to make a telling contribution. He threaded a ball through Milan Jovanovic?s legs to Milner, who in turn crossed for his former Aston Villa team-mate Barry to guide the ball home. The Blues built on their goal with a sustained display of possession football and they looked quicker than their opponents both with and without the ball. Johnson was enjoying space down City's right and after 37 minutes cut in to fire a shot narrowly wide. Shortly after, Richards showed his strength to set up a chance for Tevez but the City skipper was crowded out in the box. Liverpool's Steven Gerrard had a couple of shots just before the break but lashed one over and the other wide. The momentum that Liverpool found just before the break carried on after it, although they failed to create any clear cut chances. And the Blues made them pay after 53 minutes when Richards rose highest to head goal-wards from Milner?s corner. Tevez claimed the final touch as the ball went in for City?s second, although any deflection was impossible to spot on the television replays. Liverpool tried to react, with Gerrard slamming a shot against the post and then Joe Hart saving superbly from David Ngog and Fernando Torres in quick succession. Vincent Kompany was also putting in a sterling shift at centre-back, with a series of fine blocks to frustrate Roy Hodgson's men. But City snuffed out a comeback when Martin Skrtel brought down the irrepressible Johnson in the box, with Tevez slotting calmly in from the spot. Manchester City: Hart, Richards, Kompany, K Toure, Lescott, De Jong, Barry, Milner, Y Toure (Zabaleta, 84), Johnson, Tevez (Jo, 84). Subs not used: Given, Wright-Phillips, Silva, Vieira, Adebayor
