Manchester City's dominance continued as they secured a 3-0 victory over Liverpool on November 9, 2025, marking Pep Guardiola's 1,000th game as a manager. The Etihad Stadium witnessed a thrilling encounter, with Erling Haaland opening the scoring for City, netting his 99th Premier League goal after a missed penalty. Despite Virgil van Dijk's equaliser being controversially disallowed, Liverpool struggled to keep up with City's pace. Nico González's deflected strike before halftime and Jérémy Doku's sublime third goal sealed the victory for City. This win propelled City back to second place in the table, just four points behind leaders Arsenal, while Liverpool's slump continued, leaving them eight points adrift of the Gunners. The match saw Doku's exceptional performance, tormenting Liverpool's Conor Bradley, and his electric play almost setting up Phil Foden early on. A pivotal moment came in the ninth minute when Doku burst past defenders, leading to a penalty decision reversed by the referee after consulting VAR. Despite Liverpool's relief, City's Haaland soon found the back of the net, and City's dominance continued. Liverpool's frustrations grew as Van Dijk's header was ruled out for offside, and González's long-range strike deflected off Van Dijk in the first half. Post-halftime, Liverpool showed improved performance, but City's Doku sealed the game with a stunning goal, leaving Liverpool without a consolation. The match highlighted City's resilience and Liverpool's struggles, with City's Haaland in exceptional form, as he expressed, 'I've never felt better.'
