The Premier League champions brushed aside one of the big challengers at the Etihad last night as Manchester City made easy work of Liverpool.

Stevan Jovetic bagged a brace and Sergio Aguero scored just 25 seconds after coming off the bench in the second half to seal an impressive victory.

Rickie Lambert scored his first goal for Liverpool late on but it wasn't enough as the Reds' defensive woes from last season came back to haunt them.

And here's FIVE talking points from the game for you to mull over...

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Click on the Etihad Stadium to reveal

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Jovetic's opener

Much has been made of how much money Liverpool have spent on the likes of Moreno and Lovren, but both were at fault for Jovetic's goal towards the end of the first half.

Lovren's half-hearted header and then Moreno's slow attempt at clearing meant that the City striker was able to take control and smash a low effort underneath Simon Mignolet.

Not exactly encouraging for Liverpool fans, was it? Their defence ultimately let them down last season, and it's already messed up this term...

Jovetic's second

Jovetic scored a couple against Liverpool in pre-season over in the States and it appears he's developing a habit of scoring against them all the time. His second made and finished off by him. His neat back flick split open the Reds defence and played in Samir Nasri, who then dinked one in to the back post for Jovetic to smash home.

Mignolet had no chance - it was a fantastic strike - but Liverpool's defence once again looking vulnerable...

Glen Johnson's performance

Glen Johnson was blamed for almost everything bad Liverpool's defence did, and it's not surprising.

A lack of urgency, pace, concentration and just about everything else really caused problems for Liverpool at times...

Sergio Aguero's rapid goal

He's just too good, isn't he. He came off the bench to score against Newcastle last week and then he did the same thing against Liverpool, but this time it took him just 20 seconds to do so.

How long before Pellegrini decides to start him from the off? Then he'll be banging them for fun, surely?

Rickie Lambert's 'dream' goal

Well it wasn't the way he would have dreamt scoring his first goal for Liverpool.

Lambert made no secret of his love for the club when he signed from Southampton in the summer, but his first goal for his boy hood club came as consolation and with the help of Pablo Zabaleta, Joe Hart and goal line technology.

Still, they all count.

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