The word “perfect” echoed around Anfield on Sunday evening. It was perfect football from Liverpool, a perfect continuation of Arne Slot’s early tenure, and a perfect storm that left Manchester City battered and bewildered.

In reality, no football match is ever truly flawless. Yet Liverpool’s last week — a commanding 2-0 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League followed by another 2-0 triumph against Manchester City — feels about as close as it gets. Now nine points clear at the top of the Premier League, Slot’s side have set an extraordinary early-season standard.

“If you want to beat a team like Manchester City, you have to be close to perfect in every phase of the game,” Slot said after Sunday’s match. “We weren’t perfect, but we came close.”

Liverpool were dominant from the first whistle, pressing City into submission and capitalising with Cody Gakpo’s 12th-minute opener. It was the culmination of relentless intensity — forcing errors, exploiting spaces, and dictating the tempo. Even as City adjusted and enjoyed more possession in the second half, Liverpool’s structure and counter-attacking threat kept them firmly in control.

Mohamed Salah’s 78th-minute penalty sealed the victory, though Liverpool could have extended their lead earlier. By the final whistle, City had managed only one tame first-half shot, with Liverpool’s defensive solidity and attacking sharpness exposing their rivals’ flaws.

For Pep Guardiola, the defeat marks City’s fourth consecutive Premier League loss — a staggering downturn for the reigning champions. They now sit adrift, not just of Liverpool but of their own former standards. Sunday’s match was not just a loss; it was a stark demonstration of how far they’ve fallen.

Taking over from Jurgen Klopp was always going to be a daunting task for Arne Slot. Yet the Dutchman has approached the role with clarity, calmness, and a vision that has reinvigorated Liverpool.

Since Slot’s arrival, Liverpool have won 18 of their 20 games in all competitions, drawing one and losing just once. His high-energy style, combined with tactical adaptability, has extracted outstanding performances from both established stars and fringe players.

Virgil van Dijk looks imperious again, marshaling a defence that barely gave City’s Erling Haaland a sniff. Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister are thriving in midfield, while Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz are providing fresh attacking dimensions alongside Salah, who remains the team’s talisman. Even understudies like Conor Bradley and Caoimhin Kelleher have stepped up with key contributions.

“This start has exceeded all expectations,” Slot admitted after the game. “But we remain focused. There is so much more work to do.”

Guardiola, meanwhile, is battling the deepest slump of his managerial career. Injuries, aging stars, and tactical issues have all played their part in City’s collapse.

Without Rodri, sidelined for the season with an ACL injury, City lack control in midfield. Kyle Walker, at 34, was exposed time and again at Anfield, particularly for Liverpool’s first goal when he lost track of Gakpo at the far post. Ruben Dias’ mistake and Walker’s subsequent dispossession in the lead-up to Salah’s penalty epitomised their disarray.

The attacking picture is no brighter. While Haaland has 17 goals this season, City’s other forwards — including Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, and Bernardo Silva — have failed to find the net in the league. Haaland’s seven completed passes against Liverpool highlight how isolated and ineffective he has been in recent weeks.

Guardiola candidly admitted after the game that City were unable to compete with Liverpool’s speed and strength. “We’re not good in transitions over 30-40 metres compared to them,” he said. “We cannot compete against Liverpool like this.”

The contrast between Liverpool and City could hardly be starker. Liverpool’s balance, intensity, and cohesion make them a formidable force, while City appear disjointed, fatigued, and devoid of inspiration.

Liverpool’s dominance has seen them take 34 points from a possible 39 in the Premier League. History suggests this kind of start is a strong indicator of eventual success. Only one team with 33 or more points after 13 games has failed to win the title: Liverpool themselves, in 2018-19, when City pipped them to the post.

For Guardiola’s side to overturn a nine-point deficit, they will need not just an upturn in form but near-perfection. Sunday’s result, however, suggested Liverpool are the team more capable of achieving that standard.

Liverpool’s cautionary tale is their own experience last season. Having led the Premier League in April and won the Carabao Cup, their campaign unravelled late as fatigue and pressure took their toll. Slot’s Liverpool, however, feel more measured, more composed, and better equipped to sustain their momentum.

Their remarkable start under Slot has been characterised by discipline and clarity, not frantic energy. They look more like a team dictating games than chasing results. With Arsenal and Tottenham still in the mix, there’s no room for complacency, but Liverpool’s trajectory feels unmistakable.

Sunday’s match at Anfield felt symbolic, not just of Liverpool’s resurgence but of City’s decline. Guardiola’s team, so often the dominant force in English football, now look vulnerable and out of ideas. In contrast, Slot’s Liverpool seem to have rediscovered their identity, blending Klopp’s intensity with Slot’s tactical nuance.

With over half the season still to play, the title race is far from decided. But Liverpool’s current form, combined with City’s struggles, makes it hard to bet against the red storm sweeping through the Premier League.

As Guardiola himself put it: “Liverpool are stronger. And right now, they are faster, smarter, and better.”

At Anfield, those truths couldn’t have been clearer.