It was another frustrating afternoon for Arne Slot and his Liverpool side as they fell to a humbling 3–0 defeat against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, marking the Spaniard’s 1000th game in management. The result deepened Liverpool’s woes in what has been a turbulent and inconsistent campaign under their new coach.
Liverpool began the match with energy but quickly lost control as City’s relentless attacking quality began to shine through. Erling Haaland, who had earlier missed a penalty after a fine save from Liverpool’s stand-in goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, opened the scoring in the 29th minute. The Georgian shot-stopper, stepping in for the injured Alisson, had produced a vital stop 16 minutes earlier but was left helpless when Haaland finally broke the deadlock.
The Reds believed they had equalized soon after when captain Virgil van Dijk powered home from close range. However, their joy was cut short as VAR intervened. After a lengthy review, Andy Robertson was adjudged to have been in an offside position and to have obstructed the goalkeeper’s line of sight in the buildup. The Premier League later confirmed the decision, explaining that “the referee’s call of offside and no goal to Liverpool was checked and confirmed by VAR – with Robertson in an offside position and making an obvious action directly in front of the goalkeeper.”
The disallowed goal seemed to sap Liverpool’s energy, and Manchester City capitalized before halftime. New signing Nico González doubled the lead with a smart finish following a slick attacking move that left the visitors’ defense exposed.
Liverpool’s struggles continued in the second half as City remained dominant. Jeremy Doku added a spectacular third goal, curling a brilliant effort beyond Mamardashvili to seal the victory and pile more pressure on Slot.
Beyond the scoreline, much of the post-match discussion centered on Ibrahima Konaté’s poor display. The French defender came under heavy fire from supporters, who accused him of being distracted and lacking commitment amid reports linking him with a free transfer to Real Madrid next summer.
Social media reactions were scathing, with fans describing Konaté as “disinterested” and “a liability.” One frustrated fan wrote, “Replace Konaté in January — his head’s already in Madrid.” Another quipped, “If Madrid really sign him, Liverpool will have robbed them.”
Overall, it was a grim afternoon for Liverpool — a damaging defeat, a contentious VAR decision, and growing unrest among fans questioning the mentality and focus of key players.
