Pep Guardiola praises Conor Bradley after Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat at Manchester City.
Conor Bradley was the standout figure for Liverpool in a chastening 3-0 defeat at Manchester City on Sunday, earning rare plaudits from Pep Guardiola despite being on the losing side.
City were dominant from the off at the Etihad, with Erling Haaland missing an early penalty before breaking the deadlock with a towering header.
Nico Gonzalez doubled the advantage in first-half stoppage time, and Jeremy Doku, named man of the match, rounded off the triumph after the break with a stunning finish from distance.
While Liverpool were second-best for large periods, Bradley the Northern Irish right-back consistently impressed.
Just days after being the Reds’ best performer in the 1-0 Champions League win over Real Madrid, he found himself tasked with containing Doku, one of City’s most dangerous attackers and it was a battle in which he more than held his own.
Guardiola did not shy away from singling out Bradley for praise in his post-match press conference.
“Today, Conor [Bradley] – the right-back of Liverpool – I’m really, really impressed! Pep Lijnders told me a thousand incredibly good things about that guy, he can do everything. I know the game against Madrid how good [he was] against Vinicius – he’s wow, right?”
The City manager, speaking after overseeing his 1,000th game in management, added context to the challenge Bradley faced, highlighting the quality of Doku.
“I think he [Doku] will never be a top, top scorer, to be honest. But he’s demanding himself to be better, he listens, and he has special attributes with dribbles. And he handled it! He was aggressive, quick without the ball, and we tried to help him. Listen, he played an outstanding game!”
For Liverpool, Bradley’s performance was a rare bright spot on a day when City were relentless in possession and devastating in attack.
Despite being caught out on a few occasions and receiving a booking for a foul on Doku midway through the second half, his composure, work-rate, and willingness to compete stood out.
City’s triumph moves them four points ahead of Liverpool in the table and four behind Arsenal, who lead the Premier League.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have lost more matches this term than they did over the entire 2024/25 season. For Arne Slot, the result represents his heaviest league defeat as Liverpool manager.
Yet the praise from Guardiola is significant. The Spaniard’s words carry weight, particularly coming after a match in which Liverpool were comprehensively outplayed.
For Liverpool, the match was a stark reminder of the gulf that can exist at the very top of the Premier League. But amid the disappointment, Bradley’s display provides a glimpse of hope. At just 21, he has already shown that he can perform under pressure against the very best.
Even in defeat, that is a message of promise Arne Slot will want to hear.
