Positives

City can now play a full-strength team against Manchester United on Saturday in an attempt to win the title against their rivals, with this tie as good as over.

Negatives

Guardiola got it wrong, and badly. He over-thought his team selection and his plan of having Ilkay Gundogan drifting inside to offer solidity simply allowed Liverpool's pacey players to get a run on his side's defence. It may have been different had the first goal been flagged offside, but beyond that City only had themselves to blame; they gave the ball away too often and forgot to attack with any volition. Coming away with a deficit wouldn't have been the end of the world, but a three-goal deficit without an away goal is disastrous.

Manager rating out of 10

4 -- Guardiola solved the problems after half-time, but it was akin to locking the stable door after the horse had bolted -- after the rest of the barn had fallen apart and the farm had burnt down.

Player ratings (1-10; 10=best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

GK Ederson Moraes, 5 -- Did he have any chance with the goals? The first was after he didn't hold a relatively tame shot, but the second and third were well placed past the City goalkeeper.

DF Kyle Walker, 4 -- The defender was left badly exposed by Guardiola's system and had to face a two-on-one for pretty much all of the first half. That being said, he failed to track runs past him and offered very little going forward when he was, at times, City's only wide option.

DF Vincent Kompany, 5 -- Where were the captain's organisational skills? City's defence is renowned for falling apart when Kompany isn't involved, so to see the side all at sea and the skipper not taking the game by the scruff of the neck was surprising.

DF Nicolas Otamendi, 4 -- The centre-back City fans have been enjoying this season -- the one who stands up to challenges and stays calm under pressure -- was absent without leave. This was the 2015-style Otamendi, who was all over the place.

DF Aymeric Laporte, 4 -- This was another of the manager's incorrect decisions. Fabian Delph, who has played well at left-back all season, remained on the bench, while a centre-back who'd played there once before completed 90 minutes. Laporte looked out of his depth, but he deserves sympathy.

MF Ilkay Gundogan, 4 -- Asked to drift in from the right side, he wasn't able to get into the game. He offered nothing going forward as he couldn't find space on the flank, he wasn't able to stop Liverpool's play through the middle and his position left Walker horribly exposed.

MF Fernandinho, 5 -- Strangely anonymous in the first half, the Brazilian improved after the break and was much better at his usual job of breaking up play and getting the ball forward. Not that it mattered at 3-0 down, the damage was already done.

MF Kevin De Bruyne, 5 -- Credit where it's due, the Belgian never shied away from trying something. However, nothing he tried came off and he cut a frustrated figure by the end, as his normally well-executed passing and defence-splitting balls were missed.

MF David Silva, 5 -- This may have been the worst performance of Silva's City career. Normally reliable at both keeping the ball and providing the necessary creativity, Silva spent large spells being caught in possession and giving the ball away.

MF Leroy Sane, 5 -- The key component of City's attack, everything was aimed at going through him. The problem was that Sane had too much to do each time he had the ball and he couldn't work his way to the byline, forced back inside and backwards to the midfield. He gave the ball away for the opening goal, too.

FW Gabriel Jesus, 4 -- Having had a difficult start to the game, as his teammates struggled to find him, the striker found it tougher as the night went on. The only notable moment was a yellow card for dissent, which sums up City's night.

Substitutes

MF Raheem Sterling, 5 -- Replacing Gundogan, Sterling gave City much more balance in the second half. It was just a shame it was too little, too late -- and Liverpool were able to sit tight and defend the space.