MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – Manchester City delivered a footballing masterclass on Sunday, securing a dominant 3-0 victory over rivals Liverpool in a high-stakes Premier League clash that marked manager Pep Guardiola's 1,000th game in management. The result, confirmed by goals from Erling Haaland, Nico Gonzalez, and a stunning strike from Jérémy Doku, leaves Liverpool and their millions of Kenyan supporters disheartened but defiant.

The match, which kicked off at 7:30 PM EAT on Sunday, 9 November 2025, saw City control proceedings from the start. Despite Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili saving an early penalty from Haaland, the Norwegian striker soon found the net with a header in the 29th minute. Liverpool appeared to have equalised when Virgil van Dijk headed in from a corner, but the goal was controversially disallowed after a VAR review deemed teammate Andy Robertson to be interfering with play from an offside position.

Just before halftime, City doubled their lead when a long-range shot from Nico Gonzalez took a deflection off Van Dijk, wrong-footing the keeper. The game was effectively put to bed in the 63rd minute when Belgian winger Jérémy Doku, who was a menace to the Liverpool defence all evening, curled a spectacular shot into the net to make it 3-0.

Reaction from the Camps

Speaking after the match, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk downplayed the impact of the disallowed goal, focusing instead on the team's overall performance. "The reality is that we lost 3-0 and that is a big blow," he stated, according to post-match interviews on Sunday. "There is no point discussing this from my point of view... We are not going to give up whatsoever. We are in November and we are ready for a long season and a big fight."

Manager Arne Slot was more candid in his assessment, admitting his side was thoroughly outplayed. "They were, in every aspect of football, better than us in the first half," Slot conceded. He dismissed any immediate discussion of a title defence, stating, "The last thing I should speak about now is the title race... The reality is we are eighth now." The loss was Liverpool's fifth in 11 league games, dropping them eight points behind league leaders Arsenal.

Impact in Kenya and East Africa

The English Premier League is the most-watched sports league in the world, with a massive and passionate following across Kenya and the East Africa region. Viewing centres in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu were packed with fans, with the result sparking intense debate and analysis on social media and local sports forums.

The league's popularity has also fuelled a multi-billion shilling sports betting industry in Kenya, with matches like this one attracting significant wagering activity. The outcome represents a significant financial and emotional blow to the legion of Liverpool supporters who invest heavily in their team's fortunes each weekend. Studies have previously highlighted Kenya as having one of the highest rates of illegal Premier League viewership, underscoring the deep-seated passion for the game that transcends official broadcast channels.

As the international break commences, Liverpool's Kenyan fanbase will be left to ponder a difficult result. While Manchester City's performance sends a clear warning to the rest of the league, Van Dijk's promise of a fightback will offer a sliver of hope that the Reds can regroup and reclaim their form in the long season ahead.