Dominant City up to second after sensational Liverpool win | OneFootball

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.

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 what he’d be doing after his 1,000th match 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 the visitors.

In those opening exchanges, the effervescent Jeremy Doku 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 the dugout.

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 – 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

On landmark 1,000 games…

“Just want to say thank you to the players, backroom staff to give me that present.

“Proud to do it here in Manchester with my City.

“Now rest and come back with the energy.

“I think my period at Barcelona B is the foundation for many things. To realise myself that I was able to do it and learn a lot.

“I will never forget the guys in that first season. For me, it has been so special to make 1,000 games in front of my family and especially against Liverpool. I have a huge respect for that club.”

On the win…

“In general, they were outstanding.

“Right tempo to play with the ball, the demand the teams be there defensively.”

On Jeremy Doku…

“He has an outstanding game against one of the best full-backs in the Premier League.

“One of the best by far, for influence. Their right back Conor Bradley is so quick, I saw his game against Vinicius Junior.

“We made a really good game.”

RUBEN DIAS VERDICT

On winning in Pep’s 1,000th game as a manager…

“I’m obviously very happy for him, we live for games like this.

“There’s no higher level than this level, so very happy for him, very happy for us and very happy for everyone because everyone played a great game.”

On pushing Jeremy Doku to greater heights…

“We need to push all of us. Myself, everyone - he needs to push me, I need to push him, we need to push everyone.

“I saw the amazing game that he did and I saw just now at the end the sprint that Erling did to compensate because I think I was inside.

“We live off these things. I remember still before I came to this club and from watching this club on TV, these were the details that make them win so much.

“These little differences of everyone ready to show up and sacrifice for the guy next to them.”

On new players hitting the heights…

“This is not new. This has been going on for a while now.

“We have been talking a lot about a rebuild since last season and there were many changes in the team which is part of the process of any club that wants to keep on winning.

“The quality stays the same and we keep on pushing. It’s still early in the season, feet on the group. We’re going to keep on pushing.”

JEREMY DOKU VERDICT

On whether today was his best game…

“I don’t know.

“In big games, it’s always more exposed and more beautiful.

“I’m just happy with the game and the performance from the team, from the start we prepared for the game well.

“And we were directly at it. So I’m very happy.”

On dominating the match…

“Yeah that’s always good. Good for the confidence as well.

“I have great players around me that push me every day because they believe in me, and that also gives me the feeling that I have to do more every game and every day I want to improve.

“Having teammates like that makes it easier for me.”

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.

UP NEXT

It’s now the November international break.

Our next game sees us travel north to take on Newcastle United on Saturday 22 November with a 17:30 (UK) kick-off at St James Park.

The game will be shown live on Sky Sports.

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