Sitting in the executive seats high up at Etihad Stadium, Mario Balotelli began life at Liverpool by watching his new team ruthlessly dismantled by the club he left 19 months ago.
Manchester City showed just how difficult it will be to dethrone as English champion by beating one of its predicted title rivals 3-1 on Monday, making it two wins from two tough opening games of the Premier League season.
Stevan Jovetic scored twice and fellow striker Sergio Aguero netted seconds after coming on as a substitute for City, demonstrating that the champions’ strength in depth up front has hardly diminished since selling the combustible Balotelli to AC Milan in January 2013.
In fact, it has probably got even better.
With Balotelli added to the ranks for 16 million pounds ($26.5 million) on Monday, Liverpool strengthened the one area of its squad that looked light following the departure of Luis Suarez to Barcelona last month. On this evidence, though, the Reds will struggle to close the two-point gap they finished behind City last season.
“These games are games of six points,” City manager Manuel Pellegrini said. “When you play at home, it is important not to drop points against important teams. Liverpool is an important team and will be fighting for the title at the end.”
Jovetic was a forgotten man last season after his big-money move from Fiorentina, his career stalling during a year that was blighted by injury and failure to break into City’s star-studded attack.
The Montenegro striker starred for City in preseason, though, and with Aguero working his way to full fitness after the World Cup and Alvaro Negredo out injured, Jovetic is taking his chance to make a statement to Pellegrini.
Aguero added the third in the 69th with his first touches of the ball after coming on for the injured Edin Dzeko, running onto Jesus Navas curling pass, taking a touch and sidefooting in at the near post. There were barely 20 seconds between Aguero jogging onto the pitch and wheeling away in celebration at his second goal of the season both as a substitute.
City defender Pablo Zabaleta turned the ball into his own net under pressure from Rickie Lambert in the 83rd minute to deny the hosts a second straight clean sheet after an opening 2-0 win at Newcastle.
But it’s so far, so good for Pellegrini’s side, which joined Tottenham, Chelsea and Swansea on six points.
For Liverpool, there is excitement at the arrival of Balotelli, but a fear that City may again be too good this season.
“I am really looking forward to working with him,” Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said of Balotelli. “One thing he doesn’t lack is confidence.
“I have been very encouraged by the guy himself. He is very honest. He knows his flaws and faults and he is looking for someone to help him. There is no better club for him.”
Balotelli is one of nine signings Liverpool has made this summer with the proceeds of the Suarez sale. It will take them time to bed in and what Liverpool doesn’t have is time, especially with City and Chelsea starting the season in such unforgiving mood.
“Up until they scored, we were arguably the better side,” Rodgers said. “But we switched off and Jovetic has finished it very well. We started the second half reasonably well and then we gave away two poor goals.”
Pellegrini said Dzeko’s injury wasn’t serious and the striker is likely to be fit for Stoke at home on Saturday.
