Manchester City delivered a dominant 3-0 victory over Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium, a commanding performance that not only celebrated Pep Guardiola's 1,000th game as manager but also sent a "deafening statement of intent" in the Premier League title race. This crucial win cut league leaders Arsenal's advantage to just four points, while inflicting a "grievous wound" on Liverpool, whose hopes for back-to-back titles were severely dampened after their fifth defeat in 11 league games, leaving them in eighth place.

The match was not without its moments of controversy, particularly regarding VAR decisions. In the ninth minute, City's Jérémy Doku appeared to be fouled by Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who came flying out of his goal and mistimed his challenge, making slight contact with Doku's left boot. Referee Chris Kavanagh initially allowed play to continue, but VAR Michael Oliver recommended an on-field review (OFR). Following several replays, Kavanagh agreed with Oliver's interpretation and awarded a penalty to Manchester City. Mamardashvili, however, swiftly atoned for his error by saving Erling Haaland's spot-kick. Former Select Group referee Andy Davies praised this as a "positive VAR intervention" and a "correct overturn" by Kavanagh, noting the difficulty of the call in real time.

Later, in the 38th minute, Liverpool thought they had equalized when captain Virgil van Dijk powerfully headed home a Mohamed Salah corner. However, assistant referee Stuart Burt raised his flag, and a subsequent VAR check confirmed the goal was disallowed. The decision hinged on Andrew Robertson being in an offside position and "making an obvious action directly in front of the goalkeeper," Gianluigi Donnarumma, thus impacting his view. This call sparked significant debate, with Liverpool head coach Arne Slot declaring it "obvious and clear that the wrong decision has been made," citing a similar goal allowed for City against Wolves. Van Dijk himself expressed frustration but chose not to elaborate. Despite the controversy, Andy Davies described the ruling out of Van Dijk's goal as a "credible and understandable call" in law, though acknowledging it would cause discussion.

Manchester City's goals demonstrated their superiority. After Mamardashvili's penalty save, Erling Haaland opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a well-taken header from Matheus Nunes' searching ball. Just before halftime, City extended their lead when Nico González's low effort deflected off Van Dijk and past Mamardashvili. Jérémy Doku then rounded off his man-of-the-match performance with a spectacular third goal in the second half, cutting in from the left and bending a delightful shot into the far corner.

Individual performances highlighted the disparity between the two sides. Jérémy Doku was a standout, causing continuous chaos down City's left flank. His ability in one-on-one situations was deemed "almost unstoppable," and his goal was met with widespread acclaim. Pep Guardiola praised Doku's demanding nature and special dribbling attributes. Erling Haaland, despite missing an early penalty, went on to score his 19th goal of the season, his 14th in 11 Premier League games, pushing him close to 100 Premier League goals in fewer appearances than Alan Shearer. This demonstrated his consistent, record-breaking form.

For Liverpool, the performance raised serious concerns. Virgil van Dijk, while scoring the disallowed goal, was singled out for criticism by Manchester United legend Gary Neville for his defending on City's second goal, describing his stationary position as "really strange" and allowing the ball to deflect off him. Mohamed Salah's performance suggested a decline, as he looked a "shadow of his former self" compared to previous seasons, failing to hit the target with his three shots. The Liverpool defense, including Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konaté, and Andrew Robertson, struggled to contain City's attack, leading to a "leaky defense" that analysts believe could be their undoing this season. Manager Arne Slot admitted that while the disallowed goal could have influenced the game, it was not the sole reason for the loss, acknowledging Liverpool's "humbling loss" and shifting focus from the title race to securing results.

Pep Guardiola, on his 1,000th game, thanked his players and staff for the "incredible present" of defeating Liverpool, emphasizing that his team's motivation came from internal belief rather than rivals' slip-ups. He declared Manchester City "ready to battle" for the Premier League title, a claim backed by their impressive run of wins against AFC Bournemouth, Borussia Dortmund, and now Liverpool. The victory propels City to second place, four points behind Arsenal, while Liverpool's "tumultuous season" sees them eight points behind the leaders, facing a harsh reality check after a promising week of wins against Aston Villa and Real Madrid. The result suggests that if Liverpool cannot recover their mentality, their main rivals might quickly pull "completely out of sight."