Liverpool’s Anfield fortress has been shaken by a 3‑0 defeat to Manchester City, ending the Reds’ unbeaten start to the season and exposing a worrying trend in their home form. The loss, which came after Ryan Gravenberch was sent off in the 62nd minute, left Liverpool winless in three consecutive Premier League home matches – a situation that has only happened twice in the club’s history. The defeat also marked the first loss in 24 games for manager Andoni Iraola, whose record at Liverpool has been 10 wins and 13 draws since taking charge in January.
Iraola admitted that the team played two very different games. “We played two different games. One until the red card, and then after. For 60 minutes, the players were very good. The second game from the red card was where City were better than us,” he told Match of the Day. The red card left Liverpool with ten men and exposed a lack of leadership and composure in the final third. Despite having scored seven league goals this season – the second‑fewest in the top flight – the Reds have managed only two goals at Anfield, with the rest coming from the injury‑ridden trio of Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai.
The loss also highlighted a broader decline in Liverpool’s home performance. In the 13 Premier League matches at Anfield since the start of the year, the club has won just four, a win rate lower than their away record. Analysts note that Anfield’s reputation as a difficult venue for opponents has eroded, with teams now able to control possession and play more comfortably than in the past. Former players such as Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt have commented that the intimidating atmosphere that once dominated visiting sides is no longer as potent.
With the Reds now ninth in the table, their main issue appears to be goal‑scoring. Manchester City have netted 16 league goals, more than twice Liverpool’s tally, and the Reds have failed to score in two of their three league matches at Anfield this season. The absence of key attackers has left the team reliant on younger players like Lewis Koumas, who, while showing promise, lacks the finishing edge required at this level. The club’s recent signings, including Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola, have yet to deliver the expected impact in high‑pressure matches.
Iraola remains optimistic about his squad’s work rate and resilience, but acknowledges that significant improvements are needed. “I am very proud of my players. They put the work rate and everything in today. It’s a loss and we didn’t get anything from the performance but I liked it a lot,” he said. The manager’s focus will now shift to strengthening the attack, improving leadership on the pitch, and restoring the fear factor that once made Anfield a daunting venue for opponents. The next fixtures will test whether Liverpool can reverse this slide and re‑establish themselves as a dominant force at home.