LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 02: Merchandise goes on sale prior to kickoff during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on March 2, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 02: Merchandise goes on sale prior to kickoff during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on March 2, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 02: Merchandise goes on sale prior to kickoff during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on March 2, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 02: Merchandise goes on sale prior to kickoff during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on March 2, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

A Liverpool flag flies outside Anfield before the Barclays Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday March 2, 2016. See PA story SOCCER Liverpool. Photo credit should read: Peter Byrne/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.

Flowers and scarves laid at the Liverpool memorial before the Barclays Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday March 2, 2016. See PA story SOCCER Liverpool. Photo credit should read: Peter Byrne/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.

Manchester City's Raheem Sterling arrives at Anfield before the Barclays Premier League match. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday March 2, 2016. See PA story SOCCER Liverpool. Photo credit should read: Peter Byrne/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini arrives at Anfield before the Barclays Premier League match. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday March 2, 2016. See PA story SOCCER Liverpool. Photo credit should read: Peter Byrne/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.

Liverpool fans shout at Manchester City's Raheem Sterling during the Barclays Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday March 2, 2016. See PA story SOCCER Liverpool. Photo credit should read: Peter Byrne/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 02: Adam Lallana of Liverpool and Pablo Zabaleta of Manchester City in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on March 2, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp before the Barclays Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday March 2, 2016. See PA story SOCCER Liverpool. Photo credit should read: Peter Byrne/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.

Liverpool fans hold up a giant banner which reads Unity is Strength before the Barclays Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday March 2, 2016. See PA story SOCCER Liverpool. Photo credit should read: Peter Byrne/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.

Sergio Aguero of Manchester City and Nathaniel Clyne of Liverpool in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on March 2, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Adam Lallana of Liverpool and Pablo Zabaleta of Manchester City in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on March 2, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp gestures on the touchline during the Barclays Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. PA

Adam Lallana of Liverpool celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on March 2, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Gael Clichy of Manchester City tries to the get ball back from Jurgen Klopp of Liverrpool during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on March 2, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Gael Clichy of Manchester City tries to the get ball back from Jurgen Klopp of Liverrpool during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on March 2, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

James Milner of Liverpool and Aleksandar Kolarov of Manchester City battle for the ball during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on March 2, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

James Milner of Liverpool is mobbed by teammates in celebration after scoring his sides second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on March 2, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

James Milner of Liverpool celebrates scoring his sides second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on March 2, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

James Milner of Liverpool celebrates scoring his sides second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on March 2, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Liverpool gained some revenge for their Capital One Cup final defeat with a 3-0 victory which put a huge dent in Manchester City's title ambitions.

A re-run of their Wembley encounter three days on produced a completely different game and result, with goals inside the first hour from Adam Lallana, James Milner and Roberto Firmino earning the home side their handsome win.

It inflicted City's third successive Premier League defeat - a run they had not experienced for seven years - and more significantly left them trailing leaders Leicester by 10 points, albeit with a match in hand.

Equally as worrying for Manuel Pellegrini as he enters his final three months in charge, it left fourth-placed City looking over their shoulder with Manchester United and West Ham now breathing down their necks.

The Chilean manager may have already won the League Cup, his third trophy in three years, but it would tarnish his legacy if he were to leave incoming manager Pep Guardiola without Champions League football

City, without injured captain Yaya Toure and with 19-goal striker Sergio Aguero making little impact, were a pale imitation of the side which has so often lit up the Premier League.

For Liverpool, however, this was a performance which highlighted all of their characteristic inconsistency as once they got into their stride they cut through City with apparent ease.

With Daniel Sturridge rested, Divock Origi was preferred to £32.5million striker Christian Benteke. Origi was making his first league start since being injured in the Boxing Day win over Leicester and gave Liverpool's attack mobility which allowed them to press City high up the field.

Jon Flanagan, on his first league start since May 2014, clattered into the returning former Anfield favourite Raheem Sterling in the first 30 seconds to set the tone for their own personal battle which the Liverpool full-back won comfortably, producing one brilliantly-timed recovery tackle to deny his former team-mate the chance to shoot.

The job the defender did on the England winger, on his first return to Anfield since his £49million summer move, was good enough for Sterling to be replaced by Wilfried Bony at half-time.

The run stretches to 41! A stat Milner reveals he was aware of after reading the programme. #LFC #LIVMCI https://t.co/3NVvv0Lv7P — BT Sport Football (@btsportfootball) March 2, 2016

If Flanagan had kept Sterling in check, the same could be said of both sides as for 34 minutes they cancelled each other out.

It was only a slack piece of absent-minded defending from Nicolas Otamendi, City's £32million centre-back, which allowed Liverpool to take the lead.

Expand Close Gael Clichy of Manchester City tries to the get ball back from Jurgen Klopp of Liverrpool during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on March 2, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Getty Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Gael Clichy of Manchester City tries to the get ball back from Jurgen Klopp of Liverrpool during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on March 2, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

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Lallana picked up the ball midway in the visitors' half but with the Argentina international standing off he advanced, albeit slowly, and with no challenge coming in he opted to shoot.

The ball almost seemed to travel in slow motion but it was well-placed enough to beat Joe Hart, restored at the expense of City's Wembley hero Willy Caballero, inside his left-hand post for Lallana's third goal in his last four league games.

Such was the low-key manner of the goal it took a moment for the realisation to sink in around Anfield, but there was no such confusion around the second which sliced City apart just before the break.

Lallana started the move with a backheel to Firmino who squared for Milner to charge into the penalty area and ram past Hart.

England midfielder Milner, who chested Aguero's header off the line from City's only attempt on target, has yet to be on the losing side in the Premier League matches in which he has scored and confirmation that record would continue was secured as early as the 58th minute.

Again Lallana played a central part, running at the defence before teeing up Firmino for his seventh goal of the season.

The remaining chances which were created all fell to Liverpool with Milner twice going close against his former club.

City, who for a side of their quality have incredibly won just once in 25 league visits to Anfield, barely put up a fight and that will be a concern for Pellegrini as the title race enters its final 10 matches.

Match preview

It’s a big game for…

Raheem Sterling: The former Liverpool winger will be playing at Anfield for the first time since his controversial move to Manchester City last summer. Sterling struggle in the two teams League Cup final on Sunday but has been backed by Man City Manager Manuel Pellegrini to shut the boo boys up.

Best stat…

12: Manchester City have not won in any of their last twelve visit to Anfield, losing eight and drawing four.

Remember when…

In the reverse fixture earlier this season, Liverpool took City by surprise beating the sky blues 4-1. The reds where very clinical, scoring four goals from six shots on target.

Player to watch…

Phillipe Coutinho: The Brazilian has shown is class for Liverpool this season, getting the Reds crucial goals like his equaliser on Sunday. In the reverse fixture Coutinho played a very important role in Liverpool’s 4-1 victory and would be key for Liverpool in this fixture.

Past three-meetings…

Liverpool 1 (Coutinho) Manchester City 1 (Fernandinho) P, League Cup, February 2016.

Manchester City 1 (Aguero) Liverpool 4 (Mangala OG, Coutinho, Frimino, Skrtel), Premier League November 2015.

Liverpool 2 (Henderson, Coutinho) Manchester City 1 (Dzeko), Premier League, March 2015.

Form guide…

Liverpool: DLWDWL

Manchester City: WLLLWW

Vital information…

KICK-OFF TIME: 20:00

TV: Live on BT Sport 1, 19:15. Highlights on BBC1 MOTD, Wednesday 02 March. 22:45.

Belfast Telegraph