Manchester City delivered a commanding performance to mark a major managerial milestone, overpowering Liverpool with a 3-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium. The match was the 1,000th game in management for Pep Guardiola, and his team rose to the occasion with a display that solidifies their status as serious title contenders.
Doku Shines as City Seize Control
The home side took control early on, with Erling Haaland missing a penalty after a VAR review awarded a spot-kick. Liverpool's goalkeeper, Giorgi Mamardashvili, saved Haaland's effort, but the Norwegian striker would not be denied for long. On the 29-minute mark, Haaland scored his 99th Premier League goal with a superb looping header from a Matheus Nunes cross.
Liverpool thought they had equalized through a Virgil van Dijk header, but the goal was disallowed after Andy Robertson was adjudged to be in an offside position and interfering with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. City capitalized on this perceived injustice just before halftime. Nico Gonzalez saw his shot take a heavy deflection off Van Dijk, wrong-footing Mamardashvili and doubling City's lead.
Liverpool's Struggles Deepen
The second half offered no respite for the visitors. Jeremy Doku, who was a constant menace down City's left flank, put the result beyond any doubt with a moment of individual brilliance. The Belgian winger jinked inside Ibrahima Konate before curling a stunning shot into the top corner from outside the box.
Liverpool's frustrations were compounded when Mohamed Salah missed a glorious chance late in the game, summing up a difficult afternoon and a challenging season so far. The defeat is Liverpool's fourth in their last five league games, leaving the defending champions in eighth place and eight points off the top.
Title Race Implications
This statement win allows Manchester City to close the gap on league leaders Arsenal to just four points. Arsenal's 10-game winning run had ended in a 2-2 draw with Sunderland the day before, and Guardiola's men took full advantage. The victory also extends City's impressive run of form, having now won 11 of their last 14 matches across all competitions.
For Liverpool manager Arne Slot, the problems mount. The decision to leave £125 million striker Alexander Isak on the bench due to a lack of match fitness was questioned, especially as the team struggled to create clear chances. The heavy investment in the squad over the summer appears yet to yield the desired results, with Liverpool now seemingly in a battle for a top-four finish rather than the title itself.
