'Oxlade-Chamberlain must have felt like he was still playing for Arsenal'
Here's how the national media reacted to Liverpool's chastening 5-0 defeat to Manchester City
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A chastening day for Liverpool at the Etihad, as Liverpool fell to their heaviest defeat under Jurgen Klopp in a 5-0 reversal.
Much of the debate of course in the press centred on the sending off of Sadio Mane but in the Sunday Mirror, Andy Dunn felt the Reds never looked up to the task of competing with 10 men
He wrote: "It would be ludicrous to suggest the red card did not have a significant influence on proceedings but when an equally contentious dismissal, at a similar time, left City with 10 men and a one-goal deficit against Everton, they responded positively.
"It was a tougher challenge for Liverpool, obviously, but they did not look remotely like tackling it.
"There was a degree of sense in Klopp's insinuation that only a fool would read too much into this result.
"Only a fool, though, would ignore the siren failings that sounded throughout this Liverpool performance.
"Klopp's tenure has been studded by reality checks and this was another.
"The reality is that through central defence and midfield, they can be alarmingly vulnerable."
Liverpool verdict - Mane's red card controversial but don't ignore defensive issues
In the Observer, Daniel Taylor suggested that Liverpool showed little appetite for the fight after going down to 10 men.
"There is a way of playing with 10 men and this was absolutely not it. Liverpool's response to Mané's dismissal did not offer great encouragement about their competitive courage and, not for the first time, it was difficult to imagine how Jürgen Klopp can achieve his ambitions if his side are going to defend this generously.
"Liverpool crumbled far too easily and once City sense weakness they can be merciless opponents. It was the first time City have scored four, or more, past the team from Anfield since 1937 – and Liverpool's heaviest defeat in Manchester for 70 years.
"....A goal behind and a man down, it was always going to be a challenging and potentially treacherous afternoon for Liverpool from that point. Even so, it was startling to see the way they capitulated. Klopp's team seemed unsettled, to say the least, as soon as play restarted. They had little or no idea about what was required for a side in that position and, unfortunately for them, they were not playing a team that was going to exhibit any form of pity."
Jurgen Klopp looks on during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool at Etihad Stadium. (Image: Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Jonathan Northcroft in the Sunday Times was in no doubt about a red card was the correct decision for Mane's challenge, was thrilled by Kevin de Bruyne and had some words of warning for debut boy Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
He wrote: "Both managers agreed this had been a very different game before Mane's 37th-minute dismissal but even at 11 v 11 City were 1-0 up and exploiting gaps in Klopp's midfield and backline that were later to become canyons.
"By the end, City were how City under Pep Guardiola are meant to be. A fusion of money and vision. Uber-signings executing a brilliant game plan.
"Sane curled home after Benjamin Mendy crossed and Kyle Walker fed the ball back to him on the edge of the area, so you had two £50m full-backs combining to set up a £50m forward, and Guardiola-esque use of the width of the pitch and geometry.
"But the pick of City's performers was De Bruyne, who was involved in the first, second and fourth goals, and untamable in the 'free eight' role his manager has tailored for him.
"De Bruyne kept finding space, finding possession, and splitting Liverpool open with passes straight down the middle of the pitch. Fernandinho also broke Liverpool apart with such a ball to make it 3-0 and game over in the 53rd minute.
"Klopp vowed not to be disheartened, but put it this way: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain must have thought he was still playing for Arsenal."
Jurgen Klopp gives his verdict on Sadio Mane's red card
In the Telegraph, Sam Wallace referred to Robbie Fowler's tweet that "the game has gone" when Jon Moss sent off Mane.
He said: "Mane is not refereed according to the rules that existed 50 years ago, or even those in Fowler's day.
"He is subject to those of the current-day game, just as Nani, then at Manchester United, was when he raised a boot and kicked Alvaro Arbeloa in the ribs against Real Madrid in 2013 in what turned out to be Sir Alex Ferguson's last ever European tie. That red card also distorted a beautifully-poised game but then it is not the referee's role to maximise the entertainment.
"The managers did not waste too much time afterwards querying the decision and the harder questions for Jurgen Klopp were how his side disintegrated in the second half to make this the equal of the greatest margin of defeat in his managerial career.
" City, one goal up when Mane was dismissed, hunted the away team down with some ruthlessness and gradually they all piled in – two each for Gabriel Jesus and the substitute Leroy Sane after Sergio Aguero's first."
In the Mail on Sunday, Oliver Holt was passionate in his defence of referee Jon Moss for his decision.
"City may have won 5-0 in the end but that should not obscure the fact that their defence still looked fragile in the half an hour and more before Mane was sent off. With City trying to play offside, Mane was desperately close to latching on to a through ball from Joel Matip when he smashed into Ederson.
"But the facts that Mane is a man to admire and a fine player are not relevant here, either. Once the Liverpool forward raised his foot to head height in pursuit of the ball, he had to make sure he got it because if he got the man instead, then the laws of the modern game say referee Jon Moss had to give a straight red.
"Mane did not get the ball. Ederson got there first and Mane kicked him in the head. Inadvertently, yes. But that does not matter. Say the ball had been lower and in midfield, and Mane had lunged for it like that and taken out an opponent at the knee — would it matter then that he had been going for the ball? Of course not. It would still be a straight red."
Gabriel Jesus celebrates scoring his sides third goal with Sergio Aguero during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool at Etihad Stadium. (Image: (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images))
In the Express, Jim Holden also focused on the lack of fight from Jurgen Klopp's men once depleted in number.
"The bitter truth for Liverpool was that when Mane was sent off in the 36th minute, with City only one goal ahead, they crumbled to dust.
"Jurgen Klopp suffered the heaviest defeat of his time as Reds manager - and perhaps the most worrying.
"City finished 5-0 winners, but it could have been many more goals with sharper finishing and ambition from them. For all Liverpool's energy and spirit, they were swamped."
Alex Oxlade Chamberlain
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