MANCHESTER (Reuters) -Manchester City laid down a clear statement of intent in Pep Guardiola’s 1,000th game as a manager with a crushing 3-0 defeat of Premier League champions Liverpool on Sunday.
First-half goals by Erling Haaland and Nico Gonzalez and a stunning effort by Jeremy Doku after the break crowned a superb City display against lacklustre opponents.
The result not only allowed second-placed City to slice Arsenal’s lead to four points, but also showed that Guardiola’s side are fast evolving into serious title contenders again after last season’s hiatus when they were dethroned by Liverpool.
Earlier, Aston Villa thrashed Bournemouth 4-0 to move into sixth place in a tightly-packed top half in which only four points separate third-placed Chelsea and 12th-placed Brentford.
Newcastle United’s poor domestic form continued as they slumped to a 3-1 defeat at Brentford in a game in which they ended with 10 men after Dan Burn was sent off.
Nottingham Forest ended a winless Premier League run stretching back to the first weekend of the season as they came from behind to beat Leeds United 3-1 at the City Ground.
Crystal Palace and Brighton and Hove Albion shared the spoils in a dour 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park.
Sunderland’s last-gasp equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Saturday offered both City and Liverpool the opportunity to start exerting some pressure on Mikel Arteta’s side.
It was City who seized that opportunity by outclassing a Liverpool side who have now lost five league games this season.
Haaland had an early penalty saved by Liverpool keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili but City shrugged that off to beat Liverpool for the first time in two and a half years and make it a special milestone occasion for Guardiola.
Haaland made up for his miss by planting a header past Mamardashvili in the 29th minute and when Gonzalez struck in first-half stoppage time it was effectively game over.
Liverpool did have a Virgil van Dijk equaliser ruled out but Doku’s stunning curling effort just past the hour emphasised City’s superiority.
Arne Slot’s Liverpool beat Real Madrid in the week in the Champions League but this was a chastening afternoon in the Manchester rain that left them eight points behind Arsenal down in eighth place heading into the international break.
Like Liverpool, Villa have 18 points but the mood amongst Unai Emery’s side is vastly different after they dismantled Bournemouth, who are also on 18.
Emiliano Buendia netted a superb free kick to give the hosts the lead and they doubled their advantage before halftime with Morgan Rogers playing in Amadou Onana to score.
Antoine Semenyo had a penalty saved by Emiliano Martinez as Bournemouth improved after the break but when substitute Ross Barkley headed Villa’s third, the points were safe.
Donyell Malen, also off the bench, turned in a shot by Youri Tielemans to complete the rout late on.
Newcastle claimed a third successive Champions League win in midweek but in the Premier League they are stuttering, especially away from home where they are yet to win.
It looked good for Eddie Howe’s side as they went ahead at Brentford with a Harvey Barnes goal. But Brentford responded impressively after the break with Kevin Schade equalising with a header before Newcastle’s afternoon disintegrated.
England defender Dan Burn was sent off for a second yellow card for fouling Dango Ouattara in the penalty area and they lost keeper Nick Pope to an injury, meaning Aaron Ramsdale’s first act was to try and save Igor Thiago’s penalty.
He could not do it and Thiago then wrapped it up with his eighth league goal of the season in stoppage time.
Brentford moved to 12th with 16 points while Newcastle’s fifth defeat of the season left them 14th with 12.
Sean Dyche enjoyed his first Premier League win at Forest since replacing Ange Postecoglou as his side responded to going behind to dominate Leeds.
Lukas Nmecha put Leeds ahead in the 13th minute but their lead was shortlived as Ibrahima Sangare levelled.
Captain Morgan Gibbs-White headed Forest into the lead and Elliot Anderson’s late penalty wrapped it up.
Forest remain 19th with nine points but are only a point behind 17th-placed Burnley.
Palace were without injured captain Marc Guehi and were laboured in a dull stalemate with arch-rivals Brighton — the result leaving the sides in 10th and 11th respectively.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
