Man City 3-0 Liverpool: Doku rules the pitch as Haaland & González on target

Manchester City crushed Liverpool 3-0 in Pep Guardiola's 1,000th game in management, cutting Arsenal's advantage at the Premier League summit to four points.

Match Report

Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Sunderland on Saturday opened the door for the teams that have split the last eight titles between them, and City's best performance of the campaign resulted in a statement victory.

Erling Haaland had an early penalty saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili, who had conceded the spot-kick by catching livewire winger Jeremy Doku with his left knee.

But Haaland did find the net in the 29th minute, heading Matheus Nunes' right-wing cross home to cap a flowing move from the hosts.

Liverpool thought they were level when Virgil van Dijk nodded in from Mohamed Salah's corner, but the flag was raised against Andy Robertson – who was deemed to be in front of Gianluigi Donnarumma – and that decision was confirmed by VAR.

And Van Dijk was involved at the other end three minutes into first-half stoppage time, as Nico Gonzalez's strike deflected in off the Liverpool captain.

Liverpool briefly threatened a fightback early in the second half, with substitute Cody Gakpo somehow turning Conor Bradley's centre over a gaping goal.

But their hopes of a comeback were extinguished by the outstanding Doku in the 63rd minute, as the Belgian skipped inside Ibrahima Konate before arrowing a shot into the top-right corner.

Dominik Szoboszlai tested Donnarumma from distance and Salah missed a good one-on-one chance, while Nico O'Reilly also went close on two occasions, as City eased over the line.

While City return to second in the table ahead of the international break, Liverpool are down in eighth, having already suffered five Premier League defeats this season.

Data Debrief: Pep celebrates landmark game, Haaland closes on century

Guardiola's 1,000th match in management was one to remember, with City dominating to hand the former Barcelona B, Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss his 716th victory in the dugout (388 with City).

There was no landmark moment for Haaland, who scored his 99th Premier League goal but came up short of his century on this occasion. 

He has, however, scored in all three of his home matches against Liverpool with City, while his 14 goals in 11 matches this season are the second-most any player has ever scored at this stage of a Premier League campaign.

Haaland himself, with 17 goals in his first 11 games of 2022-23, holds that record. 

Doku, though, was the star of the show, getting all three of his shots on target, while leading the way for touches in the opposition box (11) and completing seven of his 10 dribble attempts.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

0' Arne Slot and Pep Guardiola with roses, for remembrance day

5' Great defending from Liverpool to stop Doku

7' Foden can't catch the golden chance

8' Mohamed Salah shots saved

16' Bernado has a foul on Van Djik

18' Rayan Cherki shot blocked behind by Ibrahima Konate for a corner

22' Nico O'Reilly is receiving treatment on an injury. Rayan Ait-Nouri warming up

26' Mamardashvili pushes behind a near-post effort from the lively Jeremy Doku

27' Yellow Card! Nico González booked

29' GOAL! Haaland heads home to make up for the missed pen! Man City 1-0 Liverpool

32' Mamardashvili catches the Doku's crossing

36' Yellow Card! Mac Allister booked

39' Robertson adjudged to be in an offside position,no goal

39' Highlight from Man City vs Liverpool

41' Yellow Card! Bernardo Silva booked

47' Rayan Cherki's crossing stopped by Van Dijk

47' Great chance from O'Reily

48' Gonzalez with the aid of a deflection off van Dijk! Man City 2-0 Liverpool

49' Dias rescues Donnarumma after Man City raced out of his goal to confront Salah

50' Highlight from Man City vs Liverpool

52' Yellow Card! Conor Bradley booked

53' Sub: Savinho replaces Rayan Cherki

55' This fella at right-back for Liverpool needs saving. This is brutal from Doku

55' Kerkez and Gakpo come on for Liverpool, replacing Robertson and Hugo Ekitike

58' Massive chance wasted, Cody Gakpo firing over at the back post

59' Gonzalez goes desperately close to scoring an own goal from a good Bradley cross

63' GOAL! Doku cuts inside and whips an absolute stunner! Man City 3-0 Liverpool

65' Wirtz can't find the way to solve problem

70' Doku is unstopped

74' Sub: Omar Marmoush replaces Jeremy Doku

76' Brilliant save from Gianluigi Donnarumma to deny Dominik Szoboszlai

79' Mohamed Salah steers a golden chance wide

Line-ups

Man City XI: Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, Donnarumma, Haaland, Foden, Matheus Nunes, Nico González, Cherki, Doku, Gvardiol, Nico O'Reilly

Subs: Ake, Stones, Omar Marmoush, Reijnders, Rayan Aït-Nouri, James Trafford, Bobb, Lewis, Savinho

Liverpool XI: Salah, Van Dijk, Robertson, Konate, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Gravenberch, Hugo Ekitiké, Conor Bradley, Wirtz

Subs: Endo, Freddie Woodman, Joe Gomez, Isak, Gakpo, Chiesa, Curtis Jones, Milos Kerkez, Rio Ngumoha