Haaland scores 99th EPL goal as City ease past Liverpool

Manchester City scored twice in the first half to score a dominant 3-0 win over Liverpool in their English Premier League (EPL) encounter at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

The former EPL champions dominated the reigning EPL holders, with the trio of Erling Haaland, Nico Gonzalez, and Jeremy Doku on the scoresheet in a one-sided but entertaining encounter that included multiple VAR drama.

Man City were in business mode and won a penalty following a VAR review, but Haaland saw his penalty well saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili, Liverpool’s goalkeeper.

The Norwegian striker could not be denied in the 29th minute with a looping header into the net from Matheus Nunes’ deflected cross, with Mamardashvili rooted to the spot for Haaland’s 99th EPL goal.

Liverpool thought they had levelled through Virgil van Dijk, the captain planted a header into the net from a corner kick. The goal was, however, chalked off for offside by Andy Robertson, much to the anger of Arne Slot, Liverpool manager and his entire bench.

An undeterred Man City moved on from the controversy to double their advantage just before halftime, Gonzalez’s shot from just outside the area deflected off van Dijk beyond a wrong-footed Mamardashvili for 2-0 at the break.

Doku had been a thorn in the visitors’ flesh all game, and the Belgian made it three-nil with a curler from the edge of the area into the far corner, to seal a big Man City win in Pep Guardiola’s 1,000th match as a manager.

Victory moved Man City up to second place with 22 points, four behind Arsenal, the early leaders, while Liverpool dropped to eighth place on the log.

In other matches, Aston Villa thrashed high-flying Bournemouth 4-0, while Nottingham Forest earned their first Premier League win under manager Sean Dyche, defeating Leeds United 3-1. Nigeria’s Taiwo Awoniyi was a 59th-minute substitute, and his entrance as part of a triple substitution led to the home side scoring two goals that clinched the win.

RESULTS
Manchester City 3-0 Liverpool
Brentford 3-1 Newcastle United
Aston Villa 4-0 Bournemouth
Crystal Palace 0-0 Brighton
Nottingham Forest 3-1 Leeds United