The game Carlsen-Niemann makes perfect sense if you reverse the colours-
Lower rated player tries a rare line in the opening, doesn't get much and his opponent equalizes without trouble. Lower rated player doesn't sense the danger and instead of keeping the balance, he makes more mistakes and lashes out with g4? From then on, it's a trademark grind by the higher rated player who steadily outplays his opponent in the endgame. There are a couple of inaccuracies but the lower rated player misses the chance to put up more resistance.
This was a typical crush of an ordinary GM by a super GM and shows how badly the world champion was playing that day.
Lower rated player tries a rare line in the opening, doesn't get much and his opponent equalizes without trouble. Lower rated player doesn't sense the danger and instead of keeping the balance, he makes more mistakes and lashes out with g4? From then on, it's a trademark grind by the higher rated player who steadily outplays his opponent in the endgame. There are a couple of inaccuracies but the lower rated player misses the chance to put up more resistance.
This was a typical crush of an ordinary GM by a super GM and shows how badly the world champion was playing that day.