The 30-year wait for a league title on Merseyside was brought to an end on June 25 as Liverpool were confirmed Premier League champions following Manchester City's defeat to Chelsea, but the Reds first game as champions did not go according to plan as they suffered a heavy 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium.
The result meant Liverpool have failed to score in five consecutive away fixtures for the first time in 28 years. Jurgen Klopp's men are also on course to break the record points haul of 100, which was set by City in 2018-19, but they took their eye off the ball at Etihad Stadium on Thursday.
The Reds, who were given a guard of honour by the hosts before kick-off, could have taken the lead at Etihad Stadium but Mohamed Salah's low drive cannoned off the post. It proved costly as Pep Guardiola's men took complete control with a devastating first-half display in which they scored three goals within 20 minutes.
City scored their fourth in the second half when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain inadvertently slid the ball into his own net from Sterling's low drive. They have been champions for the past two seasons, pipping Liverpool by a point in 2018-19, and will have been frustrated at how they surrendered their grasp on the trophy in such meek fashion.
It is only the third time in 11 campaigns as a manager that Spaniard Guardiola has not ended the campaign by lifting the domestic title at either City, Barcelona, or Bayern Munich.
Liverpool will want to pick themselves up quickly for their remaining six games and not let their superb season fizzle away.
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