Manchester City delivered a masterclass performance on Sunday, crushing rivals Liverpool 3-0 in a high-stakes Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium. Goals from Erling Haaland, Nico González, and Jérémy Doku sealed a dominant victory that could prove decisive in the early title race.
The result came on a landmark occasion for Pep Guardiola, who took charge of his 1,000th game as a manager, and his players marked the milestone in emphatic fashion. The win lifted City to second place in the Premier League on 22 points from 11 matches, four behind leaders Arsenal, while holders Liverpool slipped to eighth on 18 points.
City Strike Early and Never Look Back
City were sharp from the outset, pressing high and dictating play. Their breakthrough came in the 29th minute when Erling Haaland soared above Ibrahima Konaté to head home Matheus Nunes’ pinpoint cross. The Norwegian striker, who had earlier missed a penalty, made amends in style, celebrating with his trademark karate kick at the corner flag after netting his 99th Premier League goal for City.
Just moments before halftime, the Etihad erupted again. Encouraged by fans’ chants of “Shoot!”, Nico González unleashed a fierce long-range strike that deflected off Virgil van Dijk and wrong-footed goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, doubling City’s advantage.
Doku Seals It in Style
Any hope of a Liverpool comeback vanished in the 63rd minute when Jérémy Doku, set up by Nico O’Reilly, cut inside from the left and curled a blistering shot into the far corner for City’s third. It was the Belgian winger’s first league goal since January, capping off a superb individual display.
“My players gave me a perfect gift with this performance,” said a delighted Pep Guardiola after the match. “Against the champions, we had to play at our highest level, and we did. Everyone performed brilliantly.”
Players React to a Milestone Victory
City defender Rúben Dias echoed his manager’s pride:
“We live for games like this. There’s no higher level than playing and winning matches like these. Everyone did an incredible job today.”
The result ended City’s four-game winless streak against Liverpool, marking their first victory over the Reds since April 2023.
Haaland’s Record March Continues
Despite missing an early penalty, the fourth spot kick City have failed to convert in their last five Premier League meetings with Liverpool, Haaland continued his prolific form. His strike was his 14th goal of the season, the second-highest tally ever recorded after 11 league games, behind only his own record (17 goals in 2022–23). He now has 28 goals in 18 appearances for club and country this season.
Liverpool’s best chance came when Van Dijk thought he had scored in the first half, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside, as Andy Robertson was deemed to have obstructed the goalkeeper’s line of sight.
Van Dijk: “We Have to Stay Consistent”
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk accepted the defeat with humility:
“In football, officials make the key decisions, and we have to deal with them. The reality is we lost 3-0, that’s a big blow. It’s about finding consistency and staying strong. We’ll go into the international break, regroup, and come back ready for a long, tough season.”
The Bigger Picture
Statistically, City were in full control, recording six shots on target to Liverpool’s one. The Reds entered the game buoyed by recent victories over Aston Villa and Real Madrid, but City’s precision and power proved too much.
As the Premier League table begins to take shape, this victory sends a powerful message: Manchester City remain relentless contenders under Guardiola, whose 1,000th match will be remembered as another shining chapter in his illustrious managerial career.