Man City 3-0 Liverpool: Pep Guardiola has new energy for new era

Sunday began with a celebration of Pep Guardiola and ended in the same manner.

The 54-year-old chalked up his 716th victory on his landmark 1,000th game as manager, overseeing his Manchester City side emphatically dispatching champions Liverpool at Etihad Stadium.

"We've got, Guardiola..." to the tune of 'Glad All Over' was the chant from the home faithful at full-time, paying tribute to their boss in the knowledge that the foundations are in place for his latest rebuild and a tilt at a seventh Premier League crown.

The Spaniard - and City - looked tired last season, their energy sapped by a lengthy injury list on the back of a record-breaking fourth Premier League triumph in succession.

While the Reds are faltering in their quest to retain the trophy, the new blood instilled in the City team signals a revitalisation for managerial mastermind Guardiola, who is leading City's charge with a move to second in the table, four points adrift of leaders Arsenal.

"Teams win the Premier League when the team is growing every month," said Guardiola.

"When that happens you arrive at the end fighting for the title. We talk a lot and the feeling that we are in that way.

"It's nice to still have the feeling that we are back in terms of many things. I have the feeling it [the energy] is back."

The smile on Guardiola's face when he walked onto the pitch after victory over Liverpool - taking rightful acclaim for his side's fine win - said it all. It was the look of a man that had recaptured the enjoyment of football.

Since joining City from Bayern Munich in 2016, Guardiola has changed the face of English football but last season was a chastening one in which he failed to win a major trophy for the first time in eight years.

Questions were being asked, is this the end of Guardiola or can he go again?

Sunday's impressive performance to swat aside a club he said had pushed him to show the best version of himself answered any doubts.

Guardiola has repeatedly spoken about the "good vibe" around the side since the Club World Cup in the summer and that is now beginning to show on the pitch.

In an era when set-pieces and long throws are in vogue, City still play their trademark passing game, but the new iteration of the side have the ability to mix it up and go long to the big man Erling Haaland if needed.

The first goal against Liverpool was an old fashioned cross into the box from Matheus Nunes, which was nodded home by the prolific Norwegian. He now has 14 league goals in 11 Premier League matches so far this term.

The statistics also show City have covered more ground than any other side in the Premier League this season (1268.7 km) - an average of 115.3 km per game, which is up 5.5km from last season.

Guardiola fired a warning shot to rival teams by saying: "We are more unpredictable in the way we attack and defend, and that is good that the opponents don't know what we are going to do.

"It is good energy to have during the games."

Former City defender Nedum Onuoha told BBC Radio 5 Live: "The difference between Guardiola in those first 100 matches to the last is almost like it is a completely different manager in the way he sees his relationships with his players, the style of play.

"I think he is somebody who has adapted over the years based on how football is changing. He has had his finger on the pulse of how that is."

Ex-City midfielder Michael Brown added: "All of a sudden we are seeing him holding the ball in the corner at the end of games.

"In the Champions League they were under pressure and they played direct into Haaland. That wouldn't have been the case previously. Defensively, they are seeing out games."

City have had their bumps in the road this season with defeats against Brighton, Tottenham and Aston Villa, but two of those losses came back in August.

A summer of change saw the old guard such as Kevin de Bruyne, Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish, Ilkay Gundogan and Ederson departing after playing a key role in their recent years of success.

But a run of one loss in their past 14 matches shows City have regained the consistency of results that has led them to six titles in eight years and the holy grail of the Champions League.

Spearheaded by goal machine Haaland, the unstoppable striker's goal saw him take his impressive total to 28 goals for club and country in just 18 appearances so far this season.

Following the loss at Villa last month, Guardiola asked for his midfielders and wingers to chip in with goals and the unheralded Nico Gonzalez and dazzling Jeremy Doku answered that call against Liverpool.

In the absence of Rodri, fellow Spaniard Gonzalez has grown into the number six role and had more touches of the ball than any City player, while left-back Nico O'Reilly superbly shackled Mohamed Salah for large periods of the contest, winning more tackles (five) than any other player on the field.

"Nico O'Reilly was amazing," said Guardiola. "In general, everyone was extraordinary because they are still the champions."

Guardiola also singled out Bernardo Silva for praise saying the midfielder "was there" even though he "struggled" last season, adding: "He has been an incredible signing for us and in the way we played [against Liverpool] he is a master."

The Portuguese, along with team-mate Phil Foden, ran more than 12.5km on Sunday - only twice has a player covered more ground in a Premier League game this season.

Former Premier League striker Dion Dublin said: "Guardiola has got his team where he wants them again. This is City of old. This is the City that we remember, dominating games.

"I do believe Liverpool, on this occasion, were outclassed by a team who are just showing us not to write them off."

The Reds dropped to eighth place in the table, eight points behind the Gunners, and boss Arne Slot said he feels five defeats "is too many" and the "last thing we should think about now is the title race".

Guardiola and City, though, will be doing precisely the opposite.

Additional reporting by BBC Sport's Chris Collinson

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