Pep Guardiola celebrated his 1,000th game as a manager in style as Manchester City cruised to a commanding 3-0 victory over Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium. The City boss hailed his players and particularly Jérémy Doku for delivering what he called an “incredible present” on a memorable night for both him and the club.
Goals from Erling Haaland and Nico González in the first half put City firmly in control before Doku added a stunning solo strike from 20 yards to seal the win. The result moved the champions to within four points of league leaders Arsenal, sending a strong statement in the title race.
For Guardiola, this marked his 716th career victory and his 550th in charge of Manchester City. Reflecting on the milestone, he expressed gratitude to his players and staff, saying it was a “special night” with his family in attendance.
Guardiola reserved special praise for Doku, whose electric performance down the left flank caused endless problems for Liverpool’s defence. “He might never be a top scorer, but he’s improving, listens well, and has incredible dribbling ability,” the City manager said. “He was aggressive both on and off the ball and delivered an outstanding game.”
Liverpool thought they had found a lifeline before half-time when Virgil van Dijk’s header found the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside as Andy Robertson was deemed to have interfered with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Arne Slot was left fuming with the decision, insisting Robertson did not obstruct the goalkeeper’s view. He pointed out a similar incident from last season when a Manchester City goal was allowed under the same referee, Chris Kavanagh. “It was a wrong decision, clear and obvious,” Slot said, adding that such calls can significantly affect momentum in tight matches.
The defeat was Liverpool’s fifth in their last six Premier League games, leaving the defending champions languishing around seventh place. Slot admitted that the focus now must shift away from the title race and towards rebuilding form. “The best time to judge the table is at the end of the season, but for now, we must concentrate on getting results consistently,” he concluded.
