Manchester City crushed rivals Liverpool 3-0 in a high-stakes Premier League clash on Sunday, with Erling Haaland, Nico Gonzalez and Jeremy Doku scoring to seal a win that could prove pivotal in the title race.
The game was City boss Pep Guardiola's 1,000th as a manager and his team marked the milestone with a statement victory that saw them climb to second in the table on 22 points after 11 games, four adrift of leaders Arsenal. Holders Liverpool tumbled to eighth on 18 points.
City were sharp from the outset and Haaland rose high over Ibrahima Konate to head home Matheus Nunes' whipped cross in the 29th minute for his 99th league goal for the club. The goal made amends for the Norwegian missing a penalty early in the game, and Haaland karate-kicked the corner flag in celebration.
Gonzalez doubled their lead seconds before halftime -- when with fans screaming "shoot!" he did -- his effort from distance taking a deflection off Virgil van Dijk's leg to leave goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili wrong-footed.
Doku put the game out of reach with his first league goal since January when Nico O'Reilly found him on the edge of the box. He shifted the ball onto his other foot and then whipped a blistering shot from just outside the box into the far corner in the 63rd minute.
"Obviously very happy for him (Guardiola). We live for games like this. There is no higher level than this kind of level," City defender Ruben Dias said.
"Everyone did a great game."
Haaland had an early penalty saved by Mamardashvili who guessed the right way, the fourth penalty City have missed in their last five against Liverpool in the Premier League. The penalty was awarded after Doku appeared to get caught by Mamardashvili.
Premier League top-scorer Haaland bagged his 14th goal of the campaign -- the second-most of any player through the first 11 games of a season -- behind only Haaland himself, who had 17 in 2022-23. He also has 28 goals in 18 games for club and country.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk briefly celebrated what he thought was a goal in the first half but it was ruled out for offside. On review, the VAR deemed that Andy Robertson, who ducked as the ball was going in the net, made "an obvious action directly in front of the goalkeeper," and was therefore offside, the Premier League Match Centre said.
City had six shots on target to just one for Liverpool, who had arrived at Etihad Stadium riding momentum after victories over Aston Villa and Real Madrid had ended a dreadful stretch of six losses in seven games across all competitions.
Villa on the rise after thrashing Bournemouth
Aston Villa thrashed Bournemouth 4-0 to move into seventh place but Newcastle United's poor domestic form continued as they slumped to defeat at Brentford.
Nottingham Forest ended a winless Premier League run stretching back to the first weekend of the season as they came from behind to beat Leeds United 3-1 at the City Ground.
Crystal Palace and Brighton and Hove Albion shared the spoils in a dour 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park.
Villa's revival was tempered by defeat at Liverpool last weekend but Unai Emery's side returned to winning ways with a thumping defeat of a Bournemouth side who suffered a second successive reality check after a flying start to the campaign.
Emiliano Buendia netted a superb free kick to give the hosts the lead and they doubled their advantage before halftime with Morgan Rogers playing in Amadou Onana to score.
Antoine Semenyo had a penalty saved by Emiliano Martinez as Bournemouth improved after the break but when substitute Ross Barkley headed Villa's third, the points were safe.
Donyell Malen, also off the bench, turned in a shot by Youri Tielemans to complete the rout late on as Villa joined Bournemouth on 18 points from 11 matches. Bournemouth dropped down to ninth on goal difference.
Newcastle lose at Brentford
Newcastle claimed a third successive Champions League win in midweek but in the Premier League they are stuttering.
It looked good for Eddie Howe's side as they went ahead at Brentford with a Harvey Barnes goal.
But Brentford responded impressively after the break with Kevin Schade equalising with a header before Newcastle's afternoon disintegrated.
Newcastle's England defender Dan Burn was sent off for a second yellow card for fouling Dango Ouattara in the penalty area and they lost keeper Nick Pope to an injury, meaning Aaron Ramsdale's first act was to try and save Igor Thiago's penalty.
He could not do it and Thiago then wrapped it up with his eighth league goal of the season in stoppage time.
Brentford moved to 12th with 16 points while Newcastle's fifth defeat of the season left them 14th with 12 points.
Forest rally to beat Leeds
Sean Dyche enjoyed his first Premier League win at Forest since replacing Ange Postecoglou as his side responded to going behind to dominate Leeds.
Lukas Nmecha put Leeds ahead in the 13th minute but their lead was shortlived as Ibrahima Sangare levelled.
Captain Morgan Gibbs-White headed Forest into the lead and Elliot Anderson's late penalty wrapped it up.
Forest remain 19th with nine points but are only a point behind 17th-placed Burnley.
Palace were without injured captain Marc Guehi and were laboured in a dull stalemate with arch-rivals Brighton -- the result leaving the sides in 10th and 11th respectively.
© 2025