Liverpool suffer title setback as Jeremy Doku inspires Man City to big win - 5 talking points

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MANCHESTER CITY 3-0 LIVERPOOL: Pep Guardiola marked his 1000th game as a manager in style as the former Premier League champions comprehensively beat the reigning kingpinsA bedazzling display from Jeremy Doku inspired Manchester City to a seismic 3-0 win over Liverpool, who were outclassed by their title rivals at The Etihad on Sunday afternoon.City were presented with a golden opportunity to break the deadlock inside the first quarter of an hour when Giorgi Mamardashvili's knee sent Doku sprawling in the penalty area. But the Georgia goalkeeper redeemed himself in style by thwarting Erling Haaland from 12 yards by springing to his left-hand side.Unfortunately for Liverpool and their deputy keeper, normal service would soon resume for Haaland, who headed home his 99th Premier League goal just 15 minutes later.Not long after VAR intervened to deny Virgil van Dijk an equaliser after he powered a header beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma from a corner, a deflected strike from Nico Gonzalez strengthened City's grip on the game.Doku was Liverpool's tormentor-in-chief and he produced the game's best moment, curling a world class strike beyond Mamardashvili just past the hour to kill Liverpool off to cap a fine afternoon for City.

Here are Mirror Football's talking points from the big game...READ MORE: Gary Neville slams referee as Liverpool goal controversially ruled out - "I'm not sure"READ MORE: Premier League match centre offer VAR explanation after Erling Haaland penalty miss1) Dancing Doku dazzlesOn a field littered with elite attacking talent, it was Doku who stood head and shoulders above all others on Sunday afternoon.Often fabulous one moment and then frustrating the next, this was surely Doku's finest hour in a Manchester City shirt, punctuated with a stunning third goal to kill off any hope of a Liverpool resurrection.Doku's dribbling ability is second to none (he completed SEVEN here if you're counting) and he left the game Conor Bradley dizzy at times; there were moments where he was genuinely unplayable. Barely 15 minutes after City's imperious goalscoring juggernaut malfunctioned from the penalty spot, he was celebrating his 99th Premier League goal.Unlike most of the 98 that preceded this goal, City's No 9 knew little about it: the ball ricocheted off Ibrahima Konate before bouncing onto the side of Haaland's face and looping into the far corner of Maradashvili's goal.

That's right, City's headline act is capable of scoring goals without even meaning to.Pep Guardiola said earlier this season that Haaland was better than ever, which is quite the claim to make considering the manner in whcih he's blitzed Premier League records left, right and centre on these shores. They wilted under the lights of the Etihad in difficult conditions and were fortunate to only be two goals down at the break.Arne Slot's team looked leggy and it never felt like there was any way back for them when Gonzalez's strike hit the net in first half stoppage time, even if they did improve slightly after the break.File this one under another afternoon to forget for the champions; on this evidence, it will be City, rather than Liverpool, contesting for the Premier League crown with Arsenal.4) Pep celebrates milestone in styleManchester City's kingpin could hardly have wished for a better way to mark his 1000th game as a manager as he watched his side rip one of their main title rivals apart.For years, City have been all-conquering in the Premier League and last year's implosion will have stung Guardiola.