Back pages: Liverpool land crucial blow as Pep Guardiola rages

Unsurprisingly one story dominates Monday’s back pages, and that is Liverpool’s huge win over Manchester City in the Premier League showdown between the title favourites on Sunday.

Guardiola fumes

Liverpool stunned the champions 3-1 at Anfield in a thrilling match, but once again refereeing decisions were key, with City boss Pep Guardiola fuming that two penalty appeals against Trent Alexander-Arnold were turned down.

And he stepped into the limelight at the final whistle by striding onto the pitch and sarcastically “thanking” ref Michael Oliver.

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“Guardiola shouted himself hoarse during City’s defeat at Anfield, which saw rivals Liverpool go eight points clear of Leicester at the top and left the defending champions trailing in fourth place,” says the Daily Express.

Klopp on top

The reaction of the Kop, and indeed Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, at the final whistle underlined the significance of the result. “It remains early days in the title race but nine points in favour of a team that has lost only one league fixture in 18 months – that game at the Etihad – is quite a cushion. Klopp said that nobody wanted to be top only in November and the real pressure was yet to come but this was a major statement of intent,” says The Guardian.

Arsenal boss clings on

Of course there were other dramas over the weekend, not least at the King Power Stadium, where Leicester beat Arsenal 2-0 to go second in the table.

And while things are looking rosy for the flying Foxes the Gunners are in a slump and Saturday’s result only added to the pressure on boss Unai Emery.

He is safe for now despite growing anger amongst fans, reports The Times, which says the Spaniard “faces a crucial month”.

“The club believe that the head coach has a strong squad and can turn around a team who have not won in the Premier League in more than a month,” it adds. “Arsenal have fallen to sixth in the table and are eight points adrift of fourth, leaving them in danger of missing out on the Champions League for a fourth consecutive season.”