City Overwhelms Rivals in Landmark Match

MANCHESTER, UK – Manchester City delivered a commanding performance to defeat Liverpool 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, November 9, 2025, providing manager Pep Guardiola with a memorable victory in his 1,000th match in management. The win propelled City to second place in the English Premier League standings, closing the gap on leaders Arsenal to just four points.

The highly anticipated clash, which kicked off at 7:30 PM EAT, saw City assert their dominance from early on, despite an initial setback. Striker Erling Haaland had a penalty saved by Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili in the 13th minute. However, the Norwegian striker made amends at the 29-minute mark, heading in a cross from Matheus Nunes to open the scoring. Just before halftime, Nico Gonzalez doubled the lead with a long-range strike that took a deflection off Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk in the third minute of stoppage time.

Liverpool, the reigning champions, struggled to find their rhythm and saw their hopes further dashed when a potential goal from a van Dijk header was disallowed for an offside infringement by Andy Robertson. The final goal came in the 63rd minute from the standout player of the match, Jeremy Doku, who capped a brilliant performance by curling a spectacular shot from outside the box into the far corner.

Implications for the Premier League Title Race

The result significantly alters the top of the Premier League table. Manchester City now sits on 22 points after 11 games, firmly establishing themselves as the primary challengers to Arsenal, who have 26 points. Conversely, Liverpool's fifth league defeat of the season leaves them in eighth position with 18 points, a considerable eight points behind the leaders. The performance was described by City as one of their best of the campaign, signaling a return to the formidable energy that has defined their previous title-winning seasons.

Following the match, Guardiola expressed his satisfaction, calling the win a "good present" from his players. "In October, November, you don't win the Premier League," he stated, emphasizing the need for continuous improvement. "I have the feeling that we are in that way."

Guardiola’s Millennium Milestone

The victory was a fitting celebration for Pep Guardiola's landmark 1,000th game as a manager, a career that has spanned successful stints at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and now Manchester City. His overall record before the match stood at 715 wins, 156 draws, and 128 losses. The win against Liverpool, one of his fiercest rivals over the years, marked his 716th career victory. Former rival Jürgen Klopp, who departed Liverpool in 2024, paid tribute to Guardiola ahead of the milestone, calling him an "inspiration."

The Kenyan Connection: Premier League Fandom

While no Kenyan players were on the pitch, the match was followed with intense interest across Kenya, where the English Premier League commands a massive and passionate fanbase. Top English clubs, including Manchester City and Liverpool, have extensive supporter networks in the country, with fans gathering in homes and viewing centres for major fixtures. The league's popularity drives significant online traffic and social media engagement in Kenya. Studies have previously highlighted Kenya as having one of the highest rates of online viewership for Premier League matches, underscoring the deep connection local fans have with the global spectacle of English football. The outcome of Sunday's game will be a major topic of discussion and banter among Kenyan supporters as the narrative of the 2025/26 title race continues to unfold.