Manchester City have affirmed their strength in the Premier League championship race with an impressive 3-0 victory over Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium.
Erling Haaland missed the opportunity to open the scoring early when his penalty was blocked. However, the Norwegian striker quickly expiated his mistake with an accurate header that put City ahead in the first half. Virgil van Dijk seemed to have equalized for Liverpool, but the goal was disallowed because Andrew Robertson was offside.
City continued to maintain the dominance of the game. Nico Gonzalez doubled the gap right before the break with a long-range shot that hit Van Dijk who changed direction. Jeremy Doku sealed the score 3-0 in the second half with a spectacular solo performance - a performance that helped him be named the best player of the match.
This victory helped Man City rise to second place in the rankings, narrowing the gap with the leader Arsenal to 4 points, after Mikel Arteta and his team were held to a draw by Sunderland.
Man City returns to the track
It is difficult to pinpoint the position of The Citizens after a not-so-smooth start to the season, but the past week has shown that they are still a formidable force.
Within just 7 days, Pep Guardiola's team defeated AFC Bournemouth, Borussia Dortmund and most recently Liverpool. These are 3 impressive victories not only in terms of score but also in the way they controlled the match. Each performance clearly shows the image of a Man City gradually regaining their identity. They dominated the game, showed discipline in defense and were effective in finishing.
The first half against Liverpool was probably the Citizens' best 45 minutes of the season. It could even be his most impressive performance since the 2023-2024 season.
Guardiola was cautious in lowering expectations after a disappointing 2024-2025 campaign, but City are now showing a clear recovery. They are second in the Premier League, just four points behind Arsenal, competing in parallel in the Champions League as group winners, and preparing for the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Brentford next month.
Up to this point, everything is on the right track. Guardiola knows that there is still a long season, and the most important thing is to put the team in a title competitive position when entering the new year.
Although Liverpool are no longer at the level that helped them win the championship last season, the 3-0 victory at the Etihad still has the meaning of a strong statement: Man City is back.
Can't stop Doku
Doku had a brilliant performance. The Man City winger spread horror on the left flank throughout the match and ended the day perfectly with a great masterpiece.
Bradley - who kept Vinicius Junior quiet in the Champions League - was completely helpless against Doku's speed and speed. The Belgian international brought home a penalty that Haaland could not take advantage of early, and every time he had the ball, the whole Etihad seemed to hold their breath waiting for a miracle.
Doku made Bradley so miserable that Arne Slot was forced to order Ryan Gravenberch to drop deep to support the defense. But all are useless. Only when Doku left the field in the 73rd minute did Liverpool really escape the nightmare.
His goal - a cut in from the left and then finished into the far corner - was so beautiful that when it was rebroadcast on the big screen, the entire Etihad stands were excited.
Doku has shown his natural talent since joining Man City in 2023. However, this season he has only achieved the necessary stability - a factor that Guardiola always expected from attacking wingers.
Doku's ability to dribble and handle first- punch situations is of the highest level, making every defender afraid. With his current form, stopping him was almost impossible. With just a change of direction or a short sprint, Doku made the difference for the game.
