It was Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola’s 1000th match as head coach and this one gave him a lot to smile about and have a glass or two of champagne.

Liverpool came to the Etihad Stadium and was completely outplayed today (November 9).

The Belgian Jérémy Doku put on a masterclass today, and it came as no surprise that he was named Man of the Match. He terrorised Liverpool and they just couldn’t cope.

Manchester City made Liverpool look very ordinary today.

Doku was a menace from the get-go, tormenting Liverpool’s backline. In the 13th minute, Liverpool keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili clumsily made contact with Doku in the box, sending referee Chris Kavanagh to the VAR screen to check it out. He declared it a penalty, and Erling Haaland stepped up to the spot. He shot to his right, but Mamardashvili guessed correctly and saved it. Haaland was disconsolate.

But not for long, 15 minutes later, he rose majestically to meet Nunes’ cross and scored City’s first goal. This marked his 14th goal in 11 EPL games this season, and he has now scored 99 goals in his Manchester City career to date. Haaland is one of the best strikers in world football today. At this stage of the 2022/23 campaign, he had already bagged 17 goals.

Liverpool were up against it, but they looked to have found a way back in the 38th minute when their captain Virgil van Dijk headed a goal from a corner, only for it to be disallowed, Andy Robertson found to be offside.

With seven minutes of stoppage time, Liverpool couldn’t wait to go off and regroup after the onslaught; however, the team suffered further misery when Nico Gonzalez’s 20-yard shot was deflected by Virgil van Dijk, flying past Mamardashvili into Liverpool’s goal.

Come the second half, Liverpool put up a better showing. Mo Salah was ineffective today and had to stand by and watch the Jeremy Doku show.

It seemed fitting that in the 63rd minute, Doku jinked passed players before unleashing a shot from 23 yards that was unstoppable. It was 3-0 to City. 

This was Doku’s 100th appearance for Manchester City and his most notable. Guardiola called him off in the 73rd minute with applause ringing in his ears from around the stadium.

Liverpool’s first shot on target didn’t come until the 76th minute. It was a horrendous afternoon for Arne Slot’s team ,and their hopes of retaining their title are fading. This was their fifth defeat in six league games.

After the match, former Manchester United midfielder and now a prominent commentator, Roy Keane, said: “I think it is crisis time for Liverpool. It’s okay to lose to a club like Man City-it’s a tough place to come.

“But to lose seven in ten-five league losses already-it has to be a crisis for a club like Liverpool. I thought Liverpool looked like a really weak team today. 

“I thought Slot’s assessment of the game was spot on. City looked stronger, technically better and more physical than Liverpool today.”

Pep Guardiola was pleased with Manchester City’s performance and also reflected on his 1000th game as a manager, saying: “We were really good, especially in the first half. It’s a good three points for us

“I know I’m good, but don’t overestimate me. The players do it themselves. We have to give them a good environment and make good connections. I don’t teach Doku how to dribble; that is natural talent. He played an outstanding game against one of the outstanding full-backs right now in the Premier League.”