If Saturday’s closing act was a lukewarm cup of tea, Sunday’s was a round of shots at the bar.
Liverpool vs Man City delivered a red card, three goals in 13 minutes and a 3-0 Manchester City win at Anfield. It was everything the previous night’s “El Trashico” between Manchester United and Tottenham should have been, and wasn’t. Not that anyone was expecting anything much from those two.
But let’s get right into the recap, shall we? 
Palace spoil Glasner’s return as Hull and Everton trade blows
The 2pm kick-offs set a decent standard.
At Selhurst Park, Oliver Glasner got a warm welcome and a dreadful afternoon. Forest led through Dan Ndoye after three minutes and then fired 24 shots to Palace’s 13 but scored none, a conversion rate that would embarrass even Sunday league teams.
They would rue those missed chances for weeks, because Palace made them pay. Daichi Kamada scored his first Premier League goal on 41 minutes, Jefferson Lerma added another in first-half stoppage time, and Yeremy Pino made it 3-1 on 59. It was Pierre Sage’s first home league win as Palace boss, and the home fans closed out the afternoon by serenading Glasner with a “you’re getting sacked in the morning” chant.
At the MKM Stadium, Hull and Everton played out a 2-2 draw. Joe Gelhardt scored after a poor Ainsley Maitland-Niles pass, and Maitland-Niles then crossed for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s equaliser, which is generous multitasking. Thierno Barry put Everton ahead, but substitute Mohamed Belloumi levelled on 74, keeping Hull unbeaten at home.
David Moyes said Everton had “very few performers”.
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Liverpool vs Man City: a first hour that needed a kick
Then came the main event, and for an hour it politely refused to be one. Anfield greeted City with jeers in their first match since being found guilty on 114 charges over financial breaches. The noise didn’t help the football.
City looked the shakier side early on. Scratch that, they were run ragged in the opening exchanges and kicked around at times, and their expected goals stood at just 0.16 until the hour mark. Erling Haaland was a spectator in a stadium that had paid good money to see him.
Liverpool, missing key players through injury, were not much better. Even their own club’s match report called it an even contest short on real chances, and Andoni Iraola admitted his team struggled on the ball in the first half.
It was 0-0 for 62 minutes, and nobody could accuse either side of rushing.
Gravenberch sees red and the match explodes
The turning point came when Ryan Gravenberch, already booked, brought down substitute Jeremy Doku and received a second yellow. Pundits called the decision harsh, with Gary Neville describing it as “very soft” on commentary.
According to Iraola, the first booking was “nothing” and that he didn’t like the refereeing.
City needed no encouragement after that. Two minutes and 36 seconds after the sending-off, Haaland smashed in the opener after Doku’s burst into the area. Doku curled a stunning shot into the top corner on 68, and Rayan Cherki slipped behind the defence to prod in a third on 78.
It was Liverpool’s first defeat of 2026-27, and City’s perfect start continued.
The proper way to close a day of fixtures
Compare that with Saturday evening, when United and Spurs produced a goal, a red card and a stoppage-time equaliser spread across 90 sleepy minutes. Sunday offered three goals in 13 minutes, a controversial red card and a half-time lull that made the second half feel even better.
Liverpool vs Man City delivered tension, drama and a clear winner. Saturday’s headliner could have taken notes.
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