LONDON • Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted that the Premier League champions' "main target" now is to finish in the top four after suggesting Alisson Becker's blunders in their 4-1 loss to Manchester City on Sunday could have been due to cold feet.

The goalkeeper twice passed straight to the opposition as City got their first win at Anfield since 2003.

Pep Guardiola's men are 10 points clear of fourth-placed Liverpool (40) following a brace from Ilkay Gundogan, after he missed a first-half penalty, and strikes from Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden.

Mohamed Salah scored to end Liverpool's 410-minute goal drought at home. But the Anfield aura diminished further with their third straight league home loss, after defeats by Burnley, who ended their 68-match unbeaten league run at Anfield, and Brighton.

"That is of course our main target, that is clear," Klopp said when asked about a top-four finish after their fifth defeat this term - more than the last two seasons combined. "We will try everything. There are enough games to play to secure that but we have to win games and tonight, we didn't."

On Alisson's errors, which led to City's second and third goals three minutes apart, Klopp said: "I don't know, it's not a real explanation for it but maybe he had cold feet or something... But Ali has saved our life plenty of times, no doubt about that, and tonight he made two mistakes and that's how it is."

Alisson's work with his feet has distinguished him as a complete modern-day goalkeeper. But his errors come at a time when a number of teammates have been criticised for underperforming.

Liverpool's front trio of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Salah has been struggling, as have full-backs Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

But former Manchester United defender and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said it would have been tough for the Reds to maintain their high standards.

"Liverpool have been amazing for three years - Champions League final, Champions League win, then winning the Premier League. They have been at it full pelt," he said. "It is difficult to keep that momentum going for four years. It is just a natural dip."

City, meanwhile, are going from strength to strength, equalling the all-time winning run by an English top-flight side across all competitions by winning their last 14 matches - like Preston in 1892 and Arsenal in 1987.

Guardiola admitted beating Liverpool carried extra significance but he refused to get carried away by their title charge.

"Huge victory for us. Three more points at the end but I take into consideration the fact we won after we missed a penalty and conceded a goal. The way we reacted, that made the difference," he said.

"We played in the way you have to suffer here. We started really well... For many years we were not able to win here, hopefully next time we can do it with people inside. Anfield is so intimidating."

City saved the best for last when man-of-the-match Foden, playing as a false nine, thundered a finish past Alisson in the 83rd minute.

The England international had pundits purring after a coming-of-age performance that included two assists.

"He's absolutely incredible. He can play right, left, false nine, deep-lying midfielder and he's 20 years old," former City defender Micah Richards told Sky Sports.

"People are talking about the Stockport Pirlo or the Stockport Iniesta. Foden wow, what a player."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE