MANCHESTER — Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City showed their depth and slickness on Sunday on a rain-soaked Etihad Stadium pitch, rolling over Liverpool 3-0 to move second on the Premier League table.
MORE — Arne Slot, Pep Guardiola reaction | Full match replay
The result will feel even better after Arsenal coughed up two points on Saturday, but City have many more reasons to smile as Guardiola’s celebrated his 1000th match as a manager by getting the better of a heated rival.
City go second, four points behind leaders Arsenal after 11 matches. Liverpool drop back to eighth place, behind Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, and Manchester United on goal differential, just ahead of Bournemouth.
MORE — Man City v Liverpool player ratings | 3 things we learned
Erling Haaland scored his 99th Premier League goal to start the fireworks and later saw Nico Gonzalez and Jeremy Doku join the score sheet.
Liverpool will lament a controversial penalty awarded to City but also know it was saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili. They’ll be more upset by the controversial overturning of a goal scored by Virgil van Dijk due to perceived interference by an offside Andy Robertson.
Man City deliver promise of a real title fight as Liverpool eye soft spot
There are ways this weekend could’ve gone that might’ve sapped some drama from the (still quite long) rest of the Premier League season. Arsenal was expected to beat Sunderland — they didn’t — and a draw between City and Liverpool could’ve given the Gunners an 8-point lead on the field. Yet this wasn’t just about how the points were dealt out in Week 11, because Man City’s performance is what impressed on the day. City held Liverpool to its lowest single-game xG since their 1-0 win over Arsenal on August 31, and their season xG and xGA are second in the league. Arsenal is going to get more dangerous with the return of their best attackers while Man City should get more solid when Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rodri are healthy.
Liverpool should also improve in attack but the heart of their back line looks exhausted by overuse. The Reds, however, have a chance to get right and make this a proper three-horse race because their schedule is very soft outside of Champions League congestion: Forest, West Ham, Sunderland, and Leeds are their next four fixtures in the Premier League. Best wishes to that quartet. (NM)
What’s next?
City return from the international break and face the always-tricky trip to Newcastle United at St. James’ Park at 12:30pm ET on November 22, then host Bayer Leverkusen three days later in the UEFA Champions League.
Liverpool get back to the pitch at 10am on Nov. 22 vs Nottingham Forest at Anfield, then welcome PSV Eindhoven for a UCL clash on November 26.
Manchester City vs Liverpool final score: 3-0
Erling Haaland 29', Nico Gonzalez 45+3', Jeremy Doku 63'
Manchester City vs Liverpool live updates! — By Joe Prince-Wright at Etihad Stadium
Doku curls home a stunner!
He’s been brilliant and that is some way to cap a fantastic display. Jeremy Doku cuts inside and curls home a beauty into the top corner. Sensational.
Gakpo fires a great chance over
A ball is whipped in from the right by Bradley and Gakpo is clear at the back post but blazes his shot way over the bar. Much better in the second half from Liverpool.
“What a waste of money!” sing City’s fans about Wirtz, as Gakpo fires over
Florian Wirtz is getting heckled by City’s fans about his poor form and then takes a poor corner which is cleared. Much to their amusement.
Bradley’s cross flicked over his own bar by Gonzalez!
Liverpool’s Bradley whips in a cross from the right and Bradley tries to clear but he flicks it over his own crossbar. Just. That was extremely close.
Doku charges free and Gonzalez is fouled
Jeremy Doku beats three players on the counter and is hacked down but play continues although Cherki can’t pick out his teammate. Advantage is played then Nico Gonzalez is hauled down. Cherki is off and Savinho is on. The Brazilian instantly wins a corner but it comes to nothing. Liverpool have brought on Kerkez for Robertson.
Sluggish start to the second half from City
Pep Guardiola is not liking what he is seeing at the start of the second half. City are making some sloppy mistakes and Salah is almost in over the top, but City just clear as Donnarumma came rushing out and Dias cleared.
City close to a third early in the second half
O’Reilly curls in a lovely cross from the left but it is just ahead of Doku. City caught Liverpool on the counter there as the Reds have poured forward. The rain is bucketing down here in Manchester.
🚨 Dominant from Manchester City, who should be ahead by more. Liverpool all over the place.
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) November 9, 2025
WATCH LIVE + analysis, video highlights & more ➡️ https://t.co/OZ6u2H6R1P
Half time thoughts + what Liverpool need to do to get back in this ⤵️ #MCFC #LFC pic.twitter.com/OyjvZXVUZS
Half time: Manchester City 2-0 Liverpool
A dominant first half from City and they should be ahead by more. Erling Haaland had a penalty saved but then scored a beautiful header and Nico Gonzalez’s deflected shot right on half time doubled their lead. Liverpool will feel a little hard done by after Van Dijk’s header was disallowed by VAR controversially. Great tempo to the game and City have been totally on top. We have to see some sort of reaction, and subs, from Liverpool early in the second half, right? That just wasn’t good enough from Arne Slot’s side. Gakpo and Isak on soon?
Gonzalez’s shot deflect home!
Just before half time Nico Gonzalez hits a shot from outside the box which takes a deflection off Van Dijk and goes in. City totally deserve that 2-0 lead.
Van Dijk heads home, but it’s disallowed by VAR
Virgil van Dijk heads home from a corner and Liverpool think they have equalized... but the offside flag is up. Robertson was stood offside and interfering with play, according to VAR. Hmmm. That is a tough call. Unlucky for Liverpool. Let off for City.
City totally deserve this lead
Totally deserved lead for Manchester City. They’ve been dominant. Doku so dangerous. Haaland’s finish for that header was ridiculous. So easy for Man City to get in final third. Liverpool yet to get going at all. 0 shots on target for Liverpool after 37 minutes.
Haaland heads home!
Nunes whips in a great cross from the right and Konate gets a little flick on it, but Haaland is lurking behind him and doesn’t flinch as he heads home into the far corner. That is his 99th Premier League goal in just 108 games. He needs one more to set a new record for the fastest player in Premier League history to score 100. Of course, he could have done that already had he scored his penalty kick. Anyway, he’s incredible and City deservedly lead.
Mamardashvili denies Doku!
Great spin and turn from Doku, again, as he beats Bradley but Mamardashvili tips his shot wide at the near post. The Belgian winger has been brilliant.
O’Reilly is back on his feet after getting treatment
City youngster Nico O’Reilly was down getting treatment for a while but he’s back on the pitch and in the game. His scrap against Salah is intriguing viewing. Massive day for the young England international.
Mamardashvili the best back-up goalkeeper on the planet?
Seriously, how good a back-up is Mamardashvili? Alisson is brilliant and a Liverpool legend, but Mamardashvili is going to make it difficult for him to get back in the team when he returns from injury.
Giorgi Mamardashvili's penalty save from Erling Haaland is his sixth since the start of 2023/24, more than any other goalkeeper in Europe's top five leagues ⛔️ pic.twitter.com/uVt7O9VtZ4
— Premier League (@premierleague) November 9, 2025
Cherki fires over
Great play from Doku down the left, again, and he finds Cherki who sees his shot deflect just over. Man City are playing through Liverpool way too easily. Especially down Liverpool’s right flank.
Mamardashvili saves Haaland’s penalty kick!
That is a brilliant save from Mamardashvili down low to his left. Haaland struck it well but it wasn’t quite in the corner. Justice is probably done there.
VAR check for a possible foul on Doku... and it’s a penalty to Man City!
Jeremy Doku is in and Mamardashvili slides out. Doku goes down and Liverpool clear the danger. But VAR asks the ref to go to the screen and he decides it is a foul. There isn’t much contact there. Penalty to Man City.
Foden and Salah almost get in as the game starts to open up
At one end a now textbook fast break from City ends in Foden being played in but Van Dijk is covering and Foden’s touch is just a little loose. At the other end Salah almost gets free but similarly the ball just sort of squirms away from him. Livening up now!
Ready to roll, and here are three things to look out for
Okay, this is it. What an atmosphere. Here’s the scene at the Etihad and here are a few things I’m looking out for.
🚨 Welcome to the Etihad Stadium for Manchester City vs Liverpool! What a game this should be.
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) November 9, 2025
WATCH LIVE + analysis, videos & more ➡️ https://t.co/OZ6u2H6R1P
Here are 3 things to look out for in #MCFC v #LFC ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/QMgyzrnz4B
Team news is in...
City are unchanged from their win against Bournemouth last Sunday, with Rodri not fit enough for the bench so Nico Gonzalez is the enforced in midfield. Cherki, Foden and Doku support Haaland as Guardiola has gone for it. Liverpool are unchanged from the team which beat Real Madrid in midweek with Wirtz keeping his place on the left. Isak is fit enough for the bench, which is a huge bonus. The rain is gently falling here and the atmosphere is building. Lovely stuff.
Gary Neville on Florian Wirtz
He’s starting in a huge game for Liverpool today, so it feels like a big moment to focus on Wirtz. Here’s Gary Neville on what he thinks has been the main problem for Wirtz so far, and how he can kick-start his Liverpool career.
Manchester City lineup
Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Gonzalez, Bernardo Silva; Cherki, Foden, Doku; Haaland
Liverpool lineup
Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike
Manchester City team news, focus
Mateo Kovacic remains a long-term absentee for City but everyone else is available and Pep Guardiola has some big calls to make. His squad is massive but he has a very settled back four with Nunes and O’Reilly at full back and two of Dias, Stones and Gvardiol at center back. Nico Gonzalez may start over Rodri in midfield given his recent performances as the latter is still getting up to speed after his long injury. Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki have both been in great form in recent games and should start alongside Jeremy Doku underneath the goal-machine Erling Haaland.
Liverpool team news, focus
Alisson, Jeremie Frimpong,Stefan Bajcetic, and Giovanni Leoni remain out, while Alexander Isak is pushing to return from injury and be in the squad. Slot has found the right balance at the back with Conor Bradley and Andy Robertson at full back, while Ryan Gravenberch has been immense in midfield with Alexis Mac Allister also regaining his best form alongside him as he scored the winner against Real Madrid in midweek. In attack Mohamed Salah is also showing signs of getting back to his best too, while Hugo Ekitike will lead the lead and the big question mark is who will start on the left. Florian Wirtz played well against Real Madrid in midweek but Cody Gakpo has been really good so far this season and may get the nod.
Manchester City vs Liverpool preview
Pep Guardiola’s City have got their act together after a slow start to the season as new signings have settled in and Erling Haaland can’t stop scoring goals. They beat Borussia Dortmund 4-1 in the UEFA Champions League in midweek and won 3-1 at home against Bournemouth last weekend as they sit one point and one place above Liverpool in the table heading into this weekend as both aim to chip away at Arsenal’s lead atop the Premier League table.
Arne Slot’s Liverpool appear to have got their act together after an almighty wobble saw them lose six out of seven games in all competitions, including four games on the spin in the Premier League. They comfortably beat Aston Villa 2-0 at home last weekend and followed that up with another shutout victory in midweek in the Champions league, this time against mighty Real Madrid, as confidence and calmness has been restored.
Manchester City vs Liverpool prediction
This feels like it will be a really tight game given that both teams know how important a victory here is for momentum heading into the international break. It will probably end even. Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool.
How to watch Manchester City vs Liverpool live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 11:30am ET Sunday (November 9)
Venue: Etihad Stadium — Manchester
TV Channel: USA
Streaming: Watch live on NBC.com
