Guardiola celebrates 1000th-match win as Manchester City reignite title charge

Pep Guardiola stood soaked on a rainy Manchester afternoon, but he looked completely at home. On the day he reached 1,000 matches as a manager, his Manchester City side delivered a convincing 3–0 win over Liverpool, a reminder that the Catalan’s spark is far from fading.

Last season brought whispers that Guardiola had lost his edge after City were knocked off their Premier League throne. Yet Sunday’s display against the team that has pushed him harder than any other since his arrival in England in 2016 silenced that talk.

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Arsenal still hold a four-point lead at the top, but Guardiola’s former assistant Mikel Arteta will have taken note of City’s return to their ruthless best.

City have looked like a team in transition this season, especially after losing long-time pillars such as Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker and Ilkay Gundogan, while new signings worked to settle in. A shaky start brought two defeats in their opening three league matches, but since then, they’ve won 11 of their last 14 across all competitions, with the only blemish a loss to Aston Villa.

Sunday was about much more than the scoreline. It was about the control, the energy and the swagger. Erling Haaland looked sharp again, Phil Foden showed flashes of his old brilliance and Jeremy Doku capped the afternoon with a stunning third goal. All this came without midfield anchor Rodri, who returns after the international break.

Guardiola soaked in the applause from the Etihad crowd, visibly moved by the occasion.

“Just want to say thank you to the players and staff,” he said afterwards. “Proud to do it here in Manchester with my City.”

His journey began in 2007 with Barcelona B, but those early days still shape everything.

“My period at Barcelona B is the foundation for many things,” he said. “To realise myself that I was able to do it and to learn a lot. I will never forget that first season.”

Now boasting 12 league titles, three Champions League trophies and a legacy spanning Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City, Guardiola still feels this campaign holds promise.

He spoke about “a good vibe” within the squad and insisted that true title contenders are built month by month.

“The team that wins the Premier League is the one that keeps growing every month,” he said. “It’s not about who’s top in September or October.”

His message to the squad before facing Liverpool was simple.

“Don’t do it because Arsenal didn’t win. Do it for ourselves against the champions of England. Show them we are able to be there.”

City did exactly that — and once again, Guardiola made a milestone moment feel like the start of something bigger.