Dominant City up to second after sensational Liverpool win

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Manchester City F.C.

·9 November 2025

Dominant City up to second after sensational Liverpool win

City defeated champions Liverpool 3-0 as Pep Guardiola savoured the winning feeling in his 1,000th game in management.

Erling Haaland opened the scoring just shy of the half hour mark, thumping home a header, with every outfield player touching the ball in a build-up that perfectly summed up the grace and style that Guardiola has brought to the Blues in his near 10-year spell.

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Nico doubled our lead in first half stoppage time with a powerful drive which nicked off Virgil van Dijk on the way through.

And Jeremy Doku – Player of the Match after a simply dazzling display on his 100th City appearance – made it three with a curled effort into the corner.

The three-point haul moved us up a place from third to second, leapfrogging Chelsea to go four points behind leaders Arsenal.

The victory also represented Guardiola’s 716th win as a manager, a quite remarkable achievement from a truly remarkable man.

THE GAME IN 250 WORDS

As Pep Guardiola faced the cameras moments before the start of this milestone game, he was asked how he'd be marking his 1,000 games as a manager.

He said he would either be celebrating or sleeping, depending on the result. Thankfully for everyone of Blue persuasion, it looks like he’ll be enjoying a few glasses of wine rather than 40 winks.

City started this much-anticipated encounter in electric fashion, dominating proceedings and attacking at will against champions Liverpool.

In those opening exchanges, Jeremy Doku - making his 100th City appearance - earned a penalty for the Blues when he was clipped by Giorgi Mamardashvili but Erling Haaland had his spot kick saved by the Georgian goalkeeper who dived to his left to stop.

Hitman Haaland wasn’t to be denied though and opened the scoring with a thumping headed goal just shy of the half hour mark from a sensational ball from the right by Matheus Nunes.

The finish was wonderful but the move itself, as every City outfield player touched the ball in the build-up, was quite frankly a thing of beauty and a perfect demonstration of the astonishing brand of football Pep Guardiola has brought to Manchester as he got to truly celebrate his 1,000th game in football.

There was momentary anxiety when Virgil van Dijk wheeled away to revel in an equaliser but Andy Robertson, standing in an offside position and in line with the Dutchman’s header as it flew in, was flagged by the assistant.

With the clock ticking down to half-time, Guardiola’s relentless Blues pushed for a second and were rewarded for their effort and endeavour, the ever-improving Nico blasting home, with a deflection off Liverpool skipper van Dijk on the way through the crowd.

It was three for the hosts just past the hour mark with Doku – putting in a showbiz performance on his 100th City appearance – firing ferociously past Mamardashvili as the Etihad exploded with noise.

Liverpool had chances to reduce arrears as the second half played out, Gianluigi Donnarumma palming away a fierce Dominik Szoboszlai strike and Mo Salah firing wide when through on goal.

But the Blues held firm and registered a richly deserved triumph over our rivals.

TEAMS

CITY XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Nico, Bernardo (C), Foden, Cherki (Savinho 53'), Doku (Marmoush, 74'), Haaland

Subs: Trafford, Reijnders, Stones, Ake, Ait-Nouri, Bobb, Lewis

LIVERPOOL XI: Mamardashvili, Bradley (Gomez 83'), Konate, van Dijk, Robertson (Kerkez 56'), Gravenberch, Mac Allister (Jones 74'), Szoboszlai, Salah, Wirtz (Chiesa 83'), Ekitike (Gakpo 56')

Subs: Woodman, Endo, Isak, Ngumoha

STAR MAN: JEREMY DOKU

It was a star-studded performance from City in this assertive and ascendent victory over Liverpool.

But Jeremy Doku’s display was a cut above as he tormented the defence of the current champions.

He was on for 74 minutes in total and he spent every single one of them displaying his pace and grace on the Etihad pitch.

His goal, which rounded off the scoring, was the least he deserved from a truly fabulous match.

MANAGER REACTION

Pep Guardiola’s thoughts on today’s game will appear here soon.

PLAYER VERDICT

Check out the post-match verdict of one of our first team players shortly.

WHAT IT MEANS

Today’s comprehensive 3-0 victory means we leapfrog Chelsea and move into second spot in the Premier League table, just four points behind leaders Arsenal.