Guardiola's Milestone Match Sees City Dominate Liverpool
Manchester City delivered a spectacular performance to mark Pep Guardiola's 1000th game in management, securing a convincing 3-0 victory against rivals Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium. This landmark match represented Guardiola's 550th game in charge of City, underlining his profound impact on the club since his arrival.
Doku Shines as City Close Gap on Arsenal
The home side took control early with Erling Haaland opening the scoring in the first half, followed swiftly by a goal from Nico González. After the break, Jérémy Doku sealed the victory with a magnificent individual effort, driving from midfield before unleashing a powerful 20-yard strike. This crucial win moves City to within four points of Premier League leaders Arsenal, making a significant statement in the title race.
Guardiola was effusive in his praise, describing the win as an "incredible present" from his players. "Thank you to the players and staff for giving me an incredible present against the most important opponent we faced in my time here," the manager stated. He specifically highlighted Doku's contribution, noting: "He was aggressive with and without the ball. We tried to help him and he played an outstanding game."
Controversial Decision Mars Liverpool's Performance
The match wasn't without controversy, as Virgil van Dijk saw a headed goal disallowed before half-time. The officials ruled that Andy Robertson, standing in an offside position in front of City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, had interfered with play.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot expressed his frustration with the decision, comparing it to a goal awarded to Manchester City in a similar situation against Wolves last season. "It is obvious and clear that the wrong decision has been made," Slot argued. "He [Robertson] didn't interfere at all with what the goalkeeper could do."
This defeat marks Liverpool's fifth loss in their last six league games, leaving the champions in seventh or eighth position. When asked about the title defence, Slot remained pragmatic: "The last thing we should think about is the title race and we should focus on getting result after result."
Meanwhile, Guardiola emphasised that his team's motivation came from within, not from Arsenal dropping points the previous day. "I said to the players not to do it because yesterday Arsenal didn't win. Do it because we believe in ourselves," he explained, praising his squad's mentality and performance against the English champions.
