Goals from Sergio Aguero and Leroy Sane either side of Roberto Firmino’s header gave the hosts victory in a fraught and hard-fought encounter.
Here are five talking points from the game…
The smallest margins
It’s fair to say Liverpool could not have come closer to opening the scoring in the 18th minute.
Mohamed Salah’s perfectly-judged through pass into Sadio Mane’s run saw the latter thread a low shot against the left post from a central position.
But it was John Stones’ attempted clearance of the rebound that so nearly edged the visitors ahead, the ball striking his own goalkeeper, Ederson, and looping back towards the goalline until the centre-back somehow stretched to hook away.