Manchester City 3 (Erling Haaland 29′, Nico 45+3′, Jeremy Doku 63)
Liverpool 0
Manchester City have beaten Liverpool 3-nil today at the Etihad after a virtuoso display from Jeremy Doku. When the starting lineups were announced, Pep Guardiola had made three changes to the starting lineup that beat Borussia Dortmund. Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, and Rayan Cherki came into the starting lineup for John Stones, Tijjani Reijnders, and Savinho who dropped to the bench. Today’s match was the 1000th game for Pep Guardiola as a manager and Manchester City were keen to celebrate their manager’s special milestone by picking up a massive three points at the Etihad today.
First half
Manchester City began the game brightly over the opening five minutes. Pep Guardiola’s side looked crisp in possession and two driving runs from Jeremy Doku stood out in the game’s early stages. Although City made a bright start they didn’t create any significant openings as Liverpool defended resolutely to begin the match.
Erling Haaland sees an early penalty saved after Jeremy Doku earned Manchester City a penalty.
It took eight minutes for the game’s first big moment to arrive. Jeremy Doku made a driving run at Conor Bradley and it seemed that Liverpool had dealt with the danger. Ibrahima Konate and Bradley misjudged the ball and Doku steamed into the box. The Belgian international was fouled by Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili. After a lengthy VAR check, a penalty was awarded to Manchester City. Unfortunately for City, Mamardashvili saved Haaland’s penalty low down to his left and the chance was squandered in the 12th minute.
Rayan Cherki would see a shot from a good position deflected over the bar for a City corner by Ibrahima Konate in the 18th. Cherki’s chance came after another driving run from Jeremy Doku on the left wing. Unfortunately, the ball got stuck under Cherki’s feet before he shot which allowed Konate to make a crucial block.
The first lull in the match came in the 20th minute. Nico O’Reilly went down with a right calf injury. A lengthy delay ensued as the City left-back received treatment for his injury.
Giorgi Mamardashvili would deny Jeremy Doku in the 25th minute. The Belgian winger steamed down the left wing and got himself into a dangerous position once again. It seemed that the chance was gone as Doku was brought to a standstill in the Liverpool penalty area. But Doku swivelled his hips and unleashed a powerful left-footed footed which was saved at the near post by Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Erling Haaland redeems himself as he gives City the lead!!!
Manchester City would take the lead in the 29th minute. Matheus Nunes played a quality cross from the right wing to the back post. Erling Haaland overpowered Ibrahima Konate at the back post to give City the lead. The goal came after some sublime possession play from Pep Guardiola’s side to play themselves out from the back all the way to giving themselves the lead.
GOAL!
What a header from @ErlingHaaland 👏
🤝 Matheus Nunes assist#beINPL #MCILIV #MCFC pic.twitter.com/WiojNrasgX
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) November 9, 2025
Liverpool thought they’d equalised but the goal was chalked off for offside.
It seemed that Liverpool had equalised against the run of play in the 38th minute through a Virgil van Dijk header. Mo Salah played in a quality corner from the right and Van Dijk beat Donnarumma with a quality header. But the goal was chalked off for offside as Andy Robertson was offside and impeding Gianluigi Donnarumma’s view and the goal was ruled out.
Nico doubles City’s lead just before halftime.
Manchester City would take a 2-nil lead in the 48th minute. After a succession of City corners, they would take a short corner which saw Nico picked out on the edge of the Liverpool area in acres of space. He unleashed a powerful shot from just outside the box which beat Giorgi Mamardashvili via a deflection off of Virgil van Dijk to double City’s lead. The scoreline properly reflected Manchester City’s first-half dominance after Nico’s goal.
NICO GONZÁLEZ. 🚀
🎥 @SkySportsPL pic.twitter.com/nzUGgJamL9
— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) November 9, 2025
Nico’s goal would be the last meaningful moment of the first half. Manchester City had been the dominant side throughout the first half. Erling Haaland’s penalty miss was a surprise given his superb form. He made up for that miss by giving City the lead in the 29th minute. Nico’s goal capped off a dominant first half from Pep Guardiola’s side.
Jeremy Doku dazzled in the first half in arguably his best performance of the season. The Belgian winger was giving Conor Bradley a torrid time on the left wing. Nico and Ruben Dias were also playing superbly but the job was only half done for Pep Guardiola’s side at the interval.
HT: Man City 2-0 Liverpool
Liverpool have conceded two first half goals in a Premier League match against Man City for the first time since April 2022 (losing 2-1 at HT).#MCILIV | @bet365 | #Ad pic.twitter.com/Zg49izpUdI
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) November 9, 2025
Second half
Jeremy Doku almost made it 3-nil to City in the 46th minute but Nico O’Reilly’s cross from the left evaded the dynamic winger at the back post. A sublime Ryan Gravenberch ball split open the Manchester City defence in the 50th minute and looked to have played in Mo Salah. But some desperate City defending prevented Liverpool from finding a way back into the game in the first 5 minutes of the second half.
Liverpool had two chances to get a goal back in the 56th and 58th minute. First of all, Nico deflected a cross over his own goal in the 56th minute. Two minutes later Cody Gakpo put a good chance over the bar at the back post after a well-worked Liverpool move saw Conor Bradley play a teasing ball across the City six-yard box that Gakpo got on the end of but he fired over the bar.
Jeremy Doku gets the goal that his stunning performance deserved!!!!
In the 63rd minute Jeremy Doku would get the goal that his superb performance deserved. Nico O’Reilly was picked out in acres of space on the left wing after a sublime cross-field ball from Nico. O’Reilly laid the ball off for Doku who cut inside on his right foot and unleashed a stunning strike that gave Giorgi Mamardashvili no chance in the Liverpool goal to give Manchester City a 3-nil lead. It was a goal that Doku more than deserved after his dazzling performance.
DOKU SCREAMER GOAL VS LIVERPOOLpic.twitter.com/DMsoJQi9RJ
— Viralitity (@Viralitity) November 9, 2025
It took until the 76th minute for Liverpool to have a shot on target. Dominik Szoboslai unleashed a powerful 25 yard strike form outside the area and Gianluigi Donnarumma made a strong save to preserve his clean sheet. The fact that Arne Slot’s side had to what until the 76th minute to test Donnarumma told you everything about how the game was unfolding.
Mo Salah would beat Donnarumma in the 79th minute after a long ball from midfield played in the Egyptian. Salah chipped Donnarumma but his chip went inches wide of the far post which summed up Liverpool’s day.
Outside of two Nico O’Reilly shots that went over the remainder of the game played out without incident. Pep Guardiola’s 1000th game as a manager ended with a 3-nil Manchester City win. It was a fitting result for City’s performance, especially their first half dominance.
First thoughts after the final whistle.
Manchester City fully deserved the three points today against Liverpool at the Etihad. Pep Guardiola’s side dominated the first half and their 2-nil lead was fitting at the interval.
In terms of Manchester City’s players, Jeremy Doku was the most dominant player on the pitch. He tormented the Liverpool defence in what was arguably his best performance as a City player. Manchester City’s defence was superb all night. They routinely caught the Liverpool attacking players offside with their exceptional defensive positioning.
All told, City picked up a thoroughly deserved victory. They are now well-placed for what lies ahead after the upcoming international break.