Man City Make Ominous Statement On Chastening Night For Liverpool

Manchester City delivered a deafening connection of intent to observe head Pep Guardiola's landmark 1,000th lucifer successful guidance arsenic Liverpool were dismissed retired of manus astatine Etihad Stadium.

City's 3-0 triumph carried an ominous informing for Premier League leaders Arsenal, whose astatine nan apical was cut to 4 points, while it inflicted a grievous coiled connected Liverpool and their hopes of back-to-back titles.

Guardiola had to navigate City done troubled waters past play arsenic their historical tally of 4 successive titles ended, pinch questions raised astir his expertise to rebuild.

After years of almost unbroken occurrence pinch Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City, was Guardiola still eager capable to create different squad of champions?

This was nan astir emphatic reply from Guardiola and his players, a capacity that was astatine erstwhile dazzling, vulnerable and afloat of nan powerfulness and tempo that suggests City are very overmuch backmost successful style to situation for nan Premier League trophy.

If Guardiola had asked for a gift from City's players to commemorate their inspirational head connected his large day, this was nan cleanable present.

Guardiola saw it that way, arsenic he said: "I conscionable want to opportunity convey you to nan players, backroom unit to springiness maine that present. I'm proud to do it present successful Manchester pinch my City."

The spectacle would person been nan other of celebratory for Arsenal and, very painfully here, Liverpool.

Arsenal are still successful rod position, but this is only aft 11 games and City person proved successful nan past they bask making opponents consciousness their activity connected their shoulders.

After Arsenal dropped 2 points precocious connected astatine Sunderland connected Saturday, nan doorway was abruptly ajar. City burst done it successful spectacular fashion.

For Liverpool, this was a sobering, chastening experience.

It was present astatine Etihad Stadium past February that Liverpool's 2-0 triumph completed nan double complete Manchester City, besides efficaciously settling nan Premier League title chase.

This game, some successful consequence and performance, was a complete contrast. Liverpool were over-run by a revitalised City.

It is not a conclusion that ends their hopes of keeping clasp of their crown - we are only 11 games into nan season, aft all.

However, it is progressively difficult to spot really Liverpool tin coming a superior situation successful their existent style aft a 5th nonaccomplishment successful six convention games.

City preyed connected Liverpool's susceptible midfield and defence throughout, arsenic others person done this season.

Slot was unhappy that Virgil van Dijk's header, which would person made it 1-1 earlier half-time, was disallowed for offside.

Defender Andy Robertson, who was surely successful an offside position, ducked successful beforehand of City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to let nan shot to drift in. Many felt Robertson's beingness was inconsequential and that nan extremity should person stood, but yet nan Reds were fixed a sadistic lesson.

Once Nico Gonzalez's deflected changeable made it 2-0 seconds earlier half-time, nan title was efficaciously over.

Guardiola seems re-energised by nan task of putting City correct aft a mediocre run by their standards past clip out, assembling a scope of attacking weapons tin of winning immoderate game, led by nan singular spearhead of Haaland.

The first extremity connected Sunday was rich | successful nan productivity that is Guardiola's hallmark, a magical infinitesimal that was a fitting measurement to people his large day. It was a masterpiece that will unrecorded agelong successful nan memory.

City weaved their measurement retired from facing Liverpool unit adjacent a area emblem astatine their ain extremity of nan transportation pinch a glorious series of passes from backmost to front.

This symphony of Guardiola's style ended successful a acquainted crescendo arsenic Haaland soared supra Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate to meet Matheus Nunes' cross, clip almost opinionated still arsenic nan header dropped beyond keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Nunes' transverse that group up Haaland's header was nan 19th walk successful nan move that simply trim done Liverpool until it reached its last flourish.

It could beryllium utilized arsenic a monument to Guardiola's footballing philosophy.

Haaland had already uncharacteristically wasted a chance to put City up arsenic his punishment was saved by Mamardashvili aft nan keeper was penalised for upending Jeremy Doku, but it was not agelong earlier this singular striker scored his 99th Premier League goal.

Doku is simply a transformative awesome of this caller City.

The 23-year-old has gone from being an unquestionably talented winger, but sometimes maddeningly inconsistent, to nan superb catalyst down truthful overmuch of their champion moments this season.

He gave Conor Bradley, outstanding successful Liverpool's triumph against Real Madrid successful nan Champions League, a horrible time. Bradley was tally ragged by nan gait and beingness beingness of Doku – though surely no-one could header pinch nan Belgian successful this form.

Doku was simply unstoppable, a subordinate now successful afloat flower aft yet becoming accustomed to Guardiola's precocious demands pursuing a £55.4m move from Rennes successful August 2023.

Rayan Cherki adds subtlety successful midfield, while Phil Foden is backmost to his champion and Bernardo Silva still has each nan aged guile to support City moving pinch his prompting.

It was a resounding triumph successful each way, giving Arsenal and their head Mikel Arteta - formerly Guardiola's adjunct - a hefty helping of nutrient for thought complete nan world break.

For Liverpool, this was a return to world pinch a resounding thud aft their caller upturn.

They now languish successful eighth place, 8 points down Arsenal and 4 adrift of City, but pinch momentum stalled. Liverpool's tally of 5 defeats this play now eclipses nan 4 they suffered erstwhile they won nan title.

And location are still disturbing signs that Liverpool person yet to accommodate to nan summertime influx of almost £450m worthy of caller talent.

Hugo Ekitike, 1 of nan successes, was subdued present while £125m chap striker Alexander Isak was an unused substitute aft 3 weeks retired pinch a groin injury.

It was different time of suffering and disappointment for £116m playmaker Florian Wirtz, whose struggles were made worse by nan taunts of Manchester City's fans, remembering really he turned down a move to Etihad Stadium successful bid to subordinate Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen.

Wirtz, astatine this stage, intelligibly struggles pinch nan physicality of nan Premier League. The talent is intelligibly there, but excessively often he is shrugged disconnected easy successful possession.

It is thing he will person to get utilized to and counter-act. Inevitable barracking came Wirtz's measurement pinch a chant of "What a discarded of money" from jubilant location fans erstwhile he was replaced by Federico Chiesa 7 minutes from time.

Guardiola, meanwhile, revelled successful nan triumph but looked guardant to nan games that will travel nan world break.

"Now remainder and travel backmost pinch nan energy," he said, earlier reflecting connected nan pathway that brought him to this shape of a singular coaching life.

"I deliberation my play astatine Barcelona B is nan instauration for galore things. To realise that I was capable to do it and study a lot.

"I will ne'er hide nan guys successful that first season. For me, it has been truthful typical to make 1,000 games successful beforehand of my family and particularly against Liverpool. I person a immense respect for that club."

This was Guardiola's time of celebration. And Manchester City made it an juncture to remember.