Manchester City vs Liverpool live reaction: Pep Guardiola wins 1,000th game in charge – The New York Times

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Manchester City thrashed title rivals Liverpool 3-0 in Pep Guardiola's 1000th match as manager today.
City's Erling Haaland saw a penalty saved before he nodded home Matheus Nunes' cross at the Etihad.
Virgil van Dijk's header was disallowed before Nico scored and Jeremy Doku curled in a stunner.
The result leaves City in second, four points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal.
GO FURTHER
Man City 3 Liverpool 0: Should Van Dijk header have stood? Why was Doku so dangerous? Is entertainment back?
Manchester City have been undergoing something of a transition period in the past year, so have they finally found their groove with a mix of established club legends and new faces? Ruben Dias thinks so, as he told Sky Sports:
💬 “We live for games like this and there’s no higher level than these kind of games. I am very happy for him (Doku) and for everyone.
“I remember before I came to this club and watching them on TV, it's the details of this club and everyone being willing to sacrifice for each other.
“This is not new. This has been going on for a while now. We have been talking about a rebuild for a while now, which is part of the process for any team that wants to keep on winning.
“There are new faces because of the ones that left but the quality stays the same and we keep on pushing. It’s early in the season and we keep on pushing.”
Exactly the kind of individual performance and team result that Jeremy Doku would have wanted on the landmark occasion of his 100th Manchester City appearance in all competitions.
The kind of end product he displayed today offers plenty of encouragement for the next century!
He was the clear winner of the man of the match award today, so let’s see what the Manchester City winger had to say when speaking to Sky Sports:
💬 “In big games, it is always more beautiful. I am happy with the game and the performance of the team today.
“It’s good for the confidence. I have great players around me that push me every day because they believe in me. That gives me the feeling that I have to do more every game.”
On top of everything else that Liverpool had to handle today, it is safe to say that VAR was not their friend.
First with the awarding of the penalty for Mamardashvili’s challenge on Doku, which he saved, then with Virgil van Dijk’s goal being ruled offside.
The second was a harsh call and will be debated long into the night.
In the end, the score could have been much bigger.
But the three goals that Manchester City did score were excellent.
The best of the lot was the first, finished by Haaland at the end of a move which saw every outfield player in a blue shirt touch the ball.
Pure Guardiola.
One of the big battles — away from the individual duels going on — came in wide areas where City were dominant.
Liverpool never looked comfortable at the back, particularly when Konate was on the ball.
Whether that was by design from Guardiola or not, it was a tough day at the office for the centre-back pairing of Konate and Van Dijk.
This was a really tough outing for Liverpool that has erased all the progress they seemed to make in their last two wins against Aston Villa and Real Madrid.
It does not seem clear whether Arne Slot knows his best team and if he does, the opposition appears to have the answers to beat the team he has put out in the past few weeks.
The first half in particular will have set alarm bells ringing among Liverpool fans.
That victory and three points leapfrogs City up to second place in the league.
They are only four points behind leaders with an identical goal difference of +15.
Liverpool are down in eighth, a distant eight points off Mikel Arteta's side.
Just when he looks like he has had a wobble with a penalty miss, Erling Haaland resets and finds the perfect movement to score from open play.
You can always count on him to bag a goal — the idea that this is a season where he is bouncing back from what was an impressive goal return by most people’s standards last year shows his level.
He is leading the Premier League scoring charts and does not look likely to be challenged any time soon.
The 20-year-old has been impressive all season as he had become a player that Pep Guardiola has come to rely on.
Against Mohamed Salah today, he dominated the battle and contributed plenty going forward as well.
It is no wonder he had some cramp late on after plenty of running during that match!
An easy pick after that scintillating performance.
For all the talk of Conor Bradley’s ability to keep Vinicius Junior in his pocket in midweek, he had a real job on his hands against Doku today.
And the City man came out on top more often that not, providing dangerous attacking play.
With a lovely goal to seal it, he was a standout.
After a pretty shocking month for Liverpool, it looks like that could be the case.
Manchester City’s win is a statement one today with a comprehensive victory against a key title rival.
Liverpool do not look to have put the worst of their form behind them or have the answers to key questions just yet, either.
There is plenty of football still to play.
Thoroughly impressive from Pep Guardiola and City today.
Liverpool have been outclassed.
A comprehensive win for Manchester City in Pep Guardiola’s 1000th match in management.
A very disappointing performance from Liverpool.
90+1’ Manchester City 3-0 Liverpool
A chastening afternoon for Liverpool. All the positivity generated by those wins over Villa and Real Madrid washed away.
Big decisions went against them today but they have been their own worst enemies.
They haven't lost a Premier League goal by three goals since a 4-1 defeat here in April 2023.
90’ Manchester City 3-0 Liverpool
Not long to go now. Will we get any more goals?
84’ Manchester City 3-0 Liverpool
No idea why it's taken until the 83rd minute for Chiesa to be introduced. Liverpool have been crying out for a focal point up top.
I can understand not bringing on Isak given he's only just returned to training but playing Wirtz there as a false nine when you're 3-0 down made absolutely no sense.
82’ Manchester City 3-0 Liverpool
What a pass into the teenager from Phil Foden.
O’Reilly is in plenty of space but skews the shot well over the bar and needs some stretching out for cramp in his calf.
In other news, Bradley and Wirtz are off for Liverpool. Gomez and Chiesa are on.
79’ Manchester City 3-0 Liverpool
What a chance for Mo Salah, who is through and behind the back line and lifts the ball over Donnarumma but it is just a fraction wide of the post.
Liverpool have not come much closer than that today.
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