Manchester City’s hopes of defending their Premier League title were dealt a devastating blow on Tuesday as they suffered a 4-1 defeat to Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium. The champions had been struggling for form in recent weeks and it was no surprise when they fell behind early on, with Sadio Mane scoring the opener after just seven minutes. Mohamed Salah doubled the Reds’ advantage just before half-time, before Raheem Sterling pulled one back for City soon after the break. However, Liverpool sealed the win – and dealt a huge blow to City’s title chances – with two goals in the final 15 minutes from Fabinho and Virgil van Dijk. The victory takes Liverpool three points clear of Manchester United at the top of the table, while City remain sixth and now face a tough task to get back into the title race. This was another embarrassing performance from City, who have now won just one of their last five league games. Pep Guardiola’s side have been struggling with injuries and suspensions all season, but they cannot afford many more slip-ups if they are to mount a successful defence of their title.