Mansion Sports – Manchester City secured a dominant 3-0 win over Liverpool in the 11th week of the 2025/2026 Premier League season at the Etihad Stadium. 

The match was played at a high tempo, but City’s superior quality ultimately allowed them to overpower their fierce rivals.

Liverpool briefly thought they had equalized through Virgil van Dijk after Erling Haaland’s opener for City, but the goal was disallowed following a VAR review. City extended their lead through strikes from Nico Gonzalez and Jeremy Doku.

The result lifted the Citizens to second place in the Premier League table with 22 points from 11 matches, while Liverpool dropped to eighth with 18 points from the same number of games.

First Half: City’s Dominance and Missed Opportunities

The match kicked off with high intensity at the Etihad Stadium. Liverpool created the first major threat in the 8th minute when Mohamed Salah capitalized on a defensive error by Josko Gvardiol following a long pass from Ibrahima Konaté. 

Salah broke into the penalty area, but Ruben Dias quickly closed the space, forcing the Egyptian forward to shoot from a tight angle, which Gianluigi Donnarumma successfully saved.

City responded immediately as Jeremy Doku continuously troubled Liverpool’s defense with his pace and agility on the left flank. 

In the 9th minute, he nearly forced an error inside the penalty box, leading to a loose ball that fell to Rayan Cherki. 

However, Cherki’s consecutive shots were blocked by Liverpool’s backline, who showed great determination.

A dramatic moment arrived in the 11th minute when Doku went down after contact with Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili. 

Following an extended VAR review, the referee awarded a penalty to City. Erling Haaland stepped up to take it, but Mamardashvili guessed correctly and denied the attempt with an outstanding save to his right.

Despite the missed penalty, City maintained their offensive pressure. In the 17th minute, Doku again cut inside from the left and set up Cherki, whose shot deflected off Van Dijk for a corner.

Liverpool tried to break free from the pressure, but City continued to dominate possession and looked increasingly threatening.

City’s persistence finally paid off in the 29th minute. Matheus Nunes delivered a precise cross from the right, which Haaland met with a powerful header into the top corner, making it 1-0. 

The goal served as redemption for his earlier penalty miss and marked his 99th Premier League goal.

Liverpool thought they had equalized in the 39th minute through Van Dijk’s header, but the goal was ruled out as Andrew Robertson was deemed offside in the build-up.

As the first half neared its end, City doubled their lead in stoppage time. In the 45+3rd minute, Nico Gonzalez’s long-range effort took a deflection off Van Dijk, leaving Mamardashvili helpless as the ball found the net. City went into halftime leading 2-0, fully in control of the match before their home supporters.

Second Half: Doku Seals the Triumph

Entering the second half, Liverpool tried to play more aggressively in search of a comeback. However, City maintained discipline and structure in defense. 

Jeremy Doku continued to torment Liverpool’s backline, notably in the 55th minute when he dribbled past two defenders before firing a shot that Mamardashvili managed to parry.

Just three minutes later, Liverpool nearly benefited from a City defensive mistake. Florian Wirtz sent a pass to Conor Bradley, whose cross into the box caused panic as Nico’s attempted clearance almost resulted in an own goal, with the ball narrowly sailing over the bar.

Liverpool’s best chance came in the 59th minute when a combination between Salah and Bradley produced a low cross to Cody Gakpo at the far post, but his shot went just wide. 

That missed opportunity proved costly, as City immediately launched a counterattack that led to their third goal.

In the 63rd minute, Doku finally crowned his outstanding performance with a spectacular strike. After a build-up involving O’Reilly and Nico, the Belgian winger received the ball on the left, cut inside, and curled a stunning shot into the far corner, leaving Mamardashvili with no chance. The goal sealed City’s commanding 3-0 lead.

Liverpool continued to chase a consolation goal through Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah, but Donnarumma stood firm. 

In the 76th minute, Szoboszlai’s long-range effort was superbly saved, while Salah’s chipped attempt in the 79th minute missed narrowly wide.

In the closing stages, City maintained control of the game. Phil Foden came close during stoppage time but failed to hit the target. 

The referee’s final whistle confirmed Manchester City’s emphatic 3-0 victory over Liverpool—a result that highlighted City’s attacking brilliance and Donnarumma’s composure in goal.

Match Statistics: Manchester City vs Liverpool