Manchester City delivered a commanding 3-0 win over Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium, a result that underlined their sharpness and exposed clear issues for Arne Slot’s side. With both clubs chasing momentum this season, this fixture was billed as a benchmark for where each team stands. City were clinical and composed, while Liverpool struggled to match their intensity for long spells.
Match Flow And Big Moments
Pep Guardiola celebrated his 1000th match in management and his side ensured the occasion was worthy of the milestone. Erling Haaland saw an early penalty saved, yet he needed only moments to recover as he headed City into a 1-0 lead. From that point on, City controlled the tempo.
Jeremy Doku was the standout performer. His direct running unsettled Liverpool repeatedly and his long range strike sealed the 3-0 scoreline. Liverpool had flashes of quality but lacked rhythm in key areas, especially in transition and final third play. Virgil van Dijk did have the ball in the net before it was ruled out, but City’s grip on the match never loosened.
Man City Player Ratings
Gianluigi Donnarumma 7
Matheus Nunes 8
Ruben Dias 8
Josko Gvardiol 7
Nico O’Reilly 8
Bernardo Silva 7
Nico Gonzalez 8
Rayan Cherki 6
Phil Foden 6
Jeremy Doku 10
Erling Haaland 9
Savinho 7
Omar Marmoush N/A
Manager Pep Guardiola 9
Liverpool Player Ratings
Giogi Mamardashvili 5
Conor Bradley 7
Ibrahima Konate 5
Virgil van Dijk 6
Andy Robertson 7
Ryan Gravenberch 5
Alexis Mac Allister 5
Mohamed Salah 6
Dominik Szoboszlai 7
Florian Wirtz 6
Hugo Ekitike 5
Milos Kerkez 5
Cody Gakpo 6
Curtis Jones 6
Joe Gomez N/A
Federico Chiesa N/A
Manager Arne Slot 6
What This Means For Both Clubs
For City, this performance reinforced their rhythm and their ability to manage big fixtures with maturity and precision. Doku’s evolution into a match winner adds another dimension to their attacking unit and Guardiola’s milestone evening reflected the consistency that has defined his tenure.
Liverpool leave Manchester with more questions than answers. Slot has already delivered a Premier League title, however this result showed clear gaps. The midfield lacked cohesion, the defensive line struggled with City’s rotations and the forwards failed to stretch the hosts consistently.