Erling Haaland celebrates with his Manchester City team-mates. Photo: David Blunsden / photosport
Manchester City crushed rivals Liverpool 3-0 in a high-stakes Premier League clash, 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 1000th 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.
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.
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.
Aston Villa thrashed Bournemouth 4-0 to move into sixth place but Newcastle United's poor domestic form continued as they slumped to a 3-1 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.
Brentford moved to 12th with 16 points while Newcastle's fifth defeat of the season left them 14th with 12 points.
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.
- Reuters
