Pep Guardiola celebrated his 1,000th match in management with a commanding 3-0 victory over Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium, as Manchester City closed the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal to just four points.
City were in complete control from start to finish, halting Liverpool’s recent resurgence and underlining their title credentials.
Unsurprisingly, it was Erling Haaland who broke the deadlock - netting his 28th goal of the season for club and country - after missing an earlier penalty.
The Norwegian striker made amends in the 29th minute, rising high to power home Matheus Nunes’ cross following a slick passing move.
It was Haaland’s first-ever goal against Liverpool in a game started by Virgil van Dijk.
Liverpool briefly thought they had levelled when Van Dijk headed in a Mohamed Salah corner, but the goal was ruled out for offside after Andy Robertson was deemed to have interfered with play.
Moments later, City doubled their advantage as Nico Gonzalez’s 20-yard strike deflected off Van Dijk and wrong-footed Giorgi Mamardashvili.
After the break, Jeremy Doku tormented Liverpool’s backline, and the Belgian winger sealed the win with a stunning curling strike from 20 yards - his best performance yet in a City shirt.
Jeremy Doku delivered one of his finest displays in City colours, tearing Conor Bradley apart with blistering pace and footwork.
The £55.4m signing from Rennes has found consistency this season, becoming a vital piece in Guardiola’s evolving system.
His electric performance set the tone for a ruthless City display - a statement win that not only humbled one of their fiercest rivals but also signalled a serious title warning to Arsenal.
Behind Haaland’s relentless finishing, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva orchestrated play superbly, while Gianluigi Donnarumma provided calm authority in goal, denying Dominik Szoboszlai with a world-class save.
After a turbulent previous campaign, this dominant performance was a reminder that City’s machine is back in full motion - efficient, expressive, and impossible to stop when in full flow.
After back-to-back wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid, Arne Slot’s Liverpool were brought crashing back to earth by a superior City side.
Liverpool struggled defensively, with Van Dijk and Robertson both exposed, while their midfield failed to match City’s intensity.
Their only bright moment - Van Dijk’s disallowed header - came firmly against the run of play.
The Reds’ £116m summer signing Florian Wirtz endured another tough afternoon, looking lightweight and ineffective before being substituted late on to chants of “What a waste of money” from home fans.
With five defeats in 11 games and an eight-point gap to Arsenal, Liverpool’s title defence already looks fragile.
Unless Slot can quickly rediscover his team’s sharpness and defensive discipline, the reigning champions may soon find themselves chasing shadows behind Guardiola’s resurgent City.
