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Guardiola secures 716th victory in milestone 1,000th match as manager
Pep Guardiola celebrated his 1,000th game as a manager with a commanding 716th career win on Sunday, as Manchester City dismantled reigning Premier League champions Liverpool 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium. The result propelled City to second in the table, four points behind leaders Arsenal, while Liverpool slipped to eighth-eight points adrift of the top.
A tactical renaissance
After a grueling 2023-24 campaign marred by injuries and a rare trophyless season, Guardiola's revamped side has rediscovered its rhythm. The Spaniard, who took charge of City in 2016, acknowledged the team's resurgence, telling reporters: "Teams win the Premier League when the team is growing every month. We talk a lot, and the feeling is that we're back in many ways."
Data underscores the shift: City have covered 1,268.7 km this season-an average of 115.3 km per game, up 5.5 km from last term. Their adaptability was on full display against Liverpool, blending their signature possession game with direct play when needed. The opener, a Matheus Nunes cross headed in by Erling Haaland, exemplified this flexibility. Haaland, now with 14 league goals in 11 games, has 28 in 18 appearances across all competitions this season.
Guardiola's evolving approach
Former City defender Nedum Onuoha noted the manager's evolution: "The difference between Guardiola in his first 100 matches and now is like a completely different manager-how he relates to players, how the style adapts." Ex-midfielder Michael Brown added: "They're playing direct to Haaland now, seeing out games defensively. That's new."
"We're more unpredictable in attack and defense. It's good that opponents don't know what we'll do."
Pep Guardiola
New faces, renewed energy
Summer departures of stalwarts like Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker, and Ilkay Gündoğan paved the way for emerging talents. Nico González, filling in for the injured Rodri, led City in touches, while left-back Nico O'Reilly stifled Mohamed Salah, winning five tackles-more than any player on the pitch. Guardiola singled out Bernardo Silva, who "was there" despite struggles last season, and Jeremy Doku, whose flair complemented the team's fluidity.
City's recent form-one loss in 14 matches-mirrors their title-winning consistency. Dion Dublin, a former Premier League striker, observed: "This is the City we remember. Dominating games. Don't write them off."
Liverpool's struggles deepen
Liverpool manager Arne Slot conceded his side's five defeats are "too many," adding: "The last thing we should think about now is the title race." The Reds, who pushed Guardiola to refine his tactics in past seasons, offered little resistance as City controlled possession (62%) and outran them (122.4 km to 118.7 km).
What's next
City's resurgence sets up a pivotal December, with fixtures against Chelsea and Manchester United. Guardiola's ability to reinvent-while retaining his core philosophy-suggests another title push is underway. As the Etihad faithful chanted post-match: "We've got, Guardiola..."
