Haaland and Doku Shine as Guardiola Thrash Liverpool in Milestone 1,000th Game

 In a spectacle befitting one of football's greatest rivalries, Manchester City delivered a masterclass, thrashing defending Premier League champions Liverpool 3-0 at a rain-soaked Etihad Stadium. The emphatic victory marked Pep Guardiola's 1,000th game as a manager, a landmark achievement celebrated with the kind of fluid, dominant performance that has defined his illustrious career. Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku were the standout stars, combining clinical finishing with dazzling creativity to propel City to second place, just four points behind leaders Arsenal.

The match, a pivotal clash between two title contenders, saw City assert control early and never let go. Haaland, the Norwegian goal machine, opened the scoring in the 29th minute with his 99th Premier League strike—a looping header from Matheus Nunes' curling cross that deflected off Liverpool's Ibrahima Konaté before nestling into the net. It was a peculiar yet poetic goal, underscoring Haaland's omnipresent threat even on off-balance moments. Earlier, in the 13th minute, Haaland had squandered a golden opportunity when Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili brilliantly saved a VAR-awarded penalty after Doku was felled in the box. Undeterred, the 25-year-old forward's redemption arrived swiftly, capping a first half where City outshot Liverpool 12-3 and won countless duels through relentless pressing.

The second half belonged unequivocally to Doku, the 23-year-old Belgian winger whose electric pace and audacious dribbling terrorized Liverpool's defense. Named Player of the Match for his virtuoso display, Doku completed 11 progressive carries—the most on the pitch—and notched three key passes, constantly unlocking spaces for his teammates. His reward came in the 63rd minute: a sublime solo effort where he weaved through Conor Bradley and Andy Robertson before unleashing a curling rocket into the top corner, sealing the rout. Sandwiched between Haaland's opener was Nico González's opportunistic strike in the 47th minute, a deflected effort off Virgil van Dijk that rubbed salt into Liverpool's wounds following a controversial VAR disallowance of the Dutch captain's header for a foul.

Guardiola, who received a heartfelt pre-match tribute video from the club, beamed post-match, hailing his side's belief: "We did it because we believe in ourselves... against the champions of England, to show we are ready." The Spaniard reserved special praise for Doku: "He was aggressive, quick without the ball... an outstanding game." For Liverpool, under Arne Slot, the defeat marked their fifth league loss of the season and fourth consecutive away stumble—their worst run since 2012—leaving them eight points adrift of Arsenal and exposing frailties despite a midweek Champions League win over Real Madrid.

This statement win not only avenged City's title loss last season but reignited their championship fire. As Guardiola eyes his 253rd Premier League victory overall, Haaland's prolific form—he's now on 99 goals in 104 top-flight appearances—and Doku's emergence as a game-changer signal City's intent to reclaim the crown.