IF Javier Mascherano wasn’t in the right frame of mind to play in Liverpool’s trip to Eastlands last night, then come full-time the travelling support were certainly not in the mood to watch it.

A chastening evening for Roy Hodgson and his players brutally exposed the challenge they face to regain their place among the Premier League’s elite as they were soundly beaten by Manchester City.

Goals from Gareth Barry, Micah Richards and a Carlos Tevez penalty ensured a deserved victory for Roberto Mancini’s side and inflicted Hodgson’s first competitive defeat since taking over at Anfield.

And Mascherano must take his share of the blame. The midfielder’s insistence on agitating for a move away from Anfield had reached such a crescendo that Hodgson felt he was left no option but to omit the Argentina international.

It’s precisely the kind of distraction the manager can do without as he attempts to stamp his mark on Liverpool and rebuild confidence after the unrelenting disappointments of last season.

But Hodgson must have feared such an outcome was inevitable the longer Inter Milan and Barcelona refused to meet Liverpool’s £25million valuation of the player.

Galling, then, that this was a game Mascherano would have relished, his midfield presence sorely missed against a City team that on this evidence will surely compete for the title.

So continues Liverpool’s poor away form in the Premier League, with only one victory – at doomed Burnley – this calendar year.

While no-one was getting carried away by the encouraging draw with Arsenal on the opening day, so there will be no panic in the wake of this defeat.

But this certainly did not augur well. A trip to Turkey beckons tomorrow for the second leg of their Europa League qualifier against Trabzonspor on Thursday, and with Hodgson insistent the Premier League takes priority, progress to the group stages is by no means a given.

There’s now a world of difference between the rich and famous – City the rich, Liverpool the famous – and this was shown on the teamsheet, with Manchester City’s bench costing only marginally less than Liverpool’s entire 18-man squad.

The Anfield outfit, or indeed hardly any other club, simply cannot compete with that spending power. Requiring a striker, Hodgson is forced to shop around for the best deal while City can spend £25m on Mario Balotelli – and the Italian didn’t even play last night.

No wonder City’s fans were so appreciative in their applause for Sheikh Mansour, the figurehead of the Abu Dhabi billionaires bankrolling their quest for glory, as he took his seat in the directors’ box before kick-off.

You couldn’t exactly imagine Liverpool’s owners being afforded such a reception at Anfield any time soon. Or indeed ever.

A much warmer reception greeted the news Fernando Torres was making his a first start since April having deemed sufficiently recovered from the adductor problem that hampered his pre-season.

The manner in which, shortly before half-time, Torres went past Joleon Lescott as if they City man wasn’t there allayed any fears the Spaniard has lost any of his explosive pace.

Of greater surprise was the fact Torres was partnered in attack by David Ngog, Hodgson placing faith in a 4-4-2 formation that has been the subject of such ridicule since England’s lamentable World Cup efforts in South Africa.

Was it the right move? Liverpool’s first-half performance would suggest not, with the visitors, outfought and outthought, happy to be only a goal adrift at the break.

That strike came in the 13th minute and was a further reminder of the financial chasm between the clubs. Yaya Toure’s harrying gave possession to Adam Johnson on the City right, and the winger slipped in James Milner behind the Liverpool defence to cut the ball back for Barry to force home.

Barry, of course, was the man who inadvertently sparked the beginning of the end of Rafael Benitez’s reign and brought into sharp focus Liverpool’s financial limitations.

The visitors’ left flank proved fertile ground for City. Agger gave the impression of someone still struggling with the concussion that had threatened his involvement, and looked every inch the centre-back playing out of position at left-back after being constantly beaten by the rampaging Johnson.

Agger, though, wasn’t alone; few players in red did themselves justice, although to be fair, they weren’t allowed to by an impressive City display.

Liverpool’s greatest moments of danger came when Steven Gerrard was on the ball, but with the skipper in a deeper central midfield role, that threat was greatly compromised.

Ngog was the only player to test City goalkeeper Joe Hart with two comfortable efforts from range until, on the stroke of half-time, space opened up for Gerrard from a Torres lay-off but the eventual shot was sliced wide.

City, though, only had to wait until seven minutes into the half to score their second, with a goal Liverpool’s defence will not enjoy watching again.

Richards was allowed to leap highest and head Milner’s corner towards goal and Tevez, standing in front of Reina, did enough to distract the keeper and the ball bounced home.

Liverpool perhaps knew it wasn’t their day in the 57th minute when a combination of ill fortune and outstanding goalkeeping kept them at bay.

Gerrard’s shot from 20 yards beat Hart but struck the base of the post and flew back into play off the back of the keeper’s head. Possession eventually fell to Ngog and, after repelling the Frenchman’s shot, Hart did even better to deny Torres’s follow-up attempt.

Ten minutes later and the game was over. Johnson danced past Agger yet again before tumbling over Martin Skrtel’s slight challenge inside the area, and Tevez did the rest from the penalty spot.

Liverpool at least kept plugging away and, after Torres was inches away with an angled drive, his replacement, Ryan Babel, solicited another fine save from Hart at the keeper’s near post.

But it was all over by then. As, the suspicion grows, is Mascherano’s Anfield career.