City honour Liverpool, then hammer them 4-0

Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne celebrates scoring their first goal, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Soccer Football, Premier League, Manchester City v Liverpool, Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain, 2 July – Peter Powell/Pool via Reuters

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters): Manchester City generously applauded new champions Liverpool onto the field before their Premier League match on Thursday – and promptly showed no mercy by thrashing them 4-0 at the Etihad stadium.

With the title secured a week ago, there was little at stake for Juergen Klopp’s Liverpool side who showed far from their usual levels of intensity but the loss, just their second of the league campaign, was an emphatic reminder that City will be desperate to regain their crown next season.

Klopp was quick to defend his team’s attitude, rejecting any suggestion they had taken the game lightly. “I saw a brilliant attitude. I saw fight. We didn’t behave like somebody who became champions a week ago. We lacked fluidity. And in some 50-50 situations they were quicker than us,” he said.