Manchester City delivered a commanding performance at Anfield on Sunday, beating 10-man Liverpool 3-0 to maintain their perfect start to the Premier League season — and to send a pointed message following their guilty verdict on all charges related to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules.

It was City's first match since an independent commission found the club guilty on every count. City have appealed the verdict and continue to deny any wrongdoing. Yet on the pitch, there was no sign of a side weighed down by controversy.

A hostile cauldron

City's players were greeted by a wall of boos during warm-ups and again at kick-off, as Anfield's atmosphere crackled with tension. The opening exchanges were frantic — City were harried and hacked, and the game repeatedly threatened to boil over in the early minutes.

By half-time, the visitors had found their composure. But with Liverpool pressing towards The Kop end in the second half, manager Enzo Maresca's side had to dig deep all over again. Gianluigi Donnarumma made several sharp saves to keep the scores level, including denying Lewis Koumas and Ryan Gravenberch in a furious 51-second Liverpool barrage just after the hour.

Gravenberch red card opens the floodgates

The turning point arrived in the 62nd minute when Gravenberch was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Jeremy Doku. The red card transformed the contest entirely.

Just two minutes and 36 seconds after the dismissal, Erling Haaland — who had agonisingly struck wide moments earlier — emphatically converted to put City ahead. Doku, the man fouled to earn the red card, then added a second in the 68th minute. Rayan Cherki capped a brilliant team move to complete a stunning 3-0 victory in the 78th minute.

Perfect record intact

City's clinical finishing ensures they remain the only side yet to drop a point in the Premier League this season. Liverpool, managed by Andoni Iraola, suffer their first defeat and already find themselves nine points behind the leaders after a damaging afternoon at home.