For any neutral football fan, this weekend’s tie between Liverpool and Man City is simply thrilling. Two sides who have been colossal over the past five years meet in a season defining matchup on Sunday afternoon. Jurgen Klopp’s side are currently leading the race with a one point lead over Man City and Arsenal. It’s the slightest margins and highlights the quality of the teams this season. Although Arsenal are firmly in the title race, this weekend is about the blue of Manchester and the red of Liverpool. A game that has the potential to be the best of the season.
Anfield Factor
Sunday will see Liverpool host Man City in a game that could decide the fate of the league title. Two of the best sides in football battling it out with the eyes of the world watching on. Anfield the location and a venue that the Citizens have only won once in in their previous five league meetings. It is a place where Liverpool gain that edge, play with a twelfth man, and force teams to crumble under the most intense pressure.
City’s last Anfield win came in February 2021. A comprehensive 4-1 victory over the Reds, and a ten minute goal spree that saw Gundogan, Sterling and Foden score to hand City an all important three points in their eventual title winning season. Since that loss, Liverpool have drawn and beat City at Anfield in the league and have regained that dominant home advantage over their rivals. Liverpool have yet to lose a game at home this season. In 13 home games, the Reds have won 11 and drawn 2. Their PPG (Points Per Game) average is 2.69 at home and in all games at Anfield this season, they have won 85% of them. Needless to say that City have a big challenge ahead of them.
Squad Selection
One thing that Man City may have in their favour is the availability of their best players. Jack Grealish, Jérémy Doku and Matheus Nunes are the only notable absentees from Pep’s side compared to the long injury list of Jurgen’s men. Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, Thiago, Jota, Jones, Matip and add Konaté to that list after Thursday nights Europa League clash, it is a stark difference in terms of squad availability.
Weighing it up on paper, it should favour the Manchester side, but in recent weeks, we have witnessed the strength that some of these Liverpool youngsters possess. Notably Kelleher, Bradley, Quansah, and Clark have stepped up and matured, while Endo and MacAllister have regained their previous clubs form and have looked really good in midfield. For City, having De Bruyne back in their side has been a blessing. He has shown his class and quality when he is on the field and he is a player who City have missed. Alongside the Belgian is the man who is in incredible form, Phil Foden. Potentially the player of the year and has been playing his best football under Pep. The key to a City result on Sunday is the performance of Foden. Liverpool will have to lock him down to prevent any involvement in a City attack but just as we saw last week, Foden has the ability to turn a game on its head out of nothing.
Pep v Klopp
Pep Guardiola versus Jurgen Klopp. A battle that has been waging for over eleven years, going right back to their Bundesliga days. In 21 meetings between the pair, Klopp has won eight while Pep has won six. Sunday will see the final duel between both managers as Jurgen Klopp will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season. Klopp’s title winning side in 2019/20 have been the only other side to win the league, other than City, since Chelsea in 2016/17. Man City have won the league five times in six years and are now looking to win a fourth on the trot. An extraordinary achievement and one that may never be repeated. Standing in their way are Liverpool and they want the dream end to Klopp’s Liverpool career.
Both managers have the upmost respect for one another. Klopp has always referred to Guardiola as the best manager in the world;
“Pep and I are not best friends because we don’t know each other but I respect him a lot and I know he respects what we are doing as well. For a rivalry, we don’t need to be disrespectful”.
Jurgen Klopp
While Pep has praised Klopp and has previously admitted that he has made him a better coach;
“He put me at another level, to think about it and to prove myself to be a better manager, to try to beat them”.
Pep Guardiola
It is inevitably the end of an era. Klopp will go toe-to-toe with Pep for the final time and what an occasion to end it on. Although they may meet again in the FA Cup, this game on Sunday has a cup final status about it. We will see the two of the best managers, over the past eight years, compete for the final time. Bringing down an illustrious matchup and possibly the greatest of rivalries in the Premier League.
Prediction
Predicting this game is almost an impossible task. Both sides have been in excellent form and are being pushed to the limit by Arteta’s Arsenal. Klopp and Pep both need a result on Sunday which makes this even more tantalising. Liverpool are missing important players and the injury to Konaté will impact them at the back. The fitness of Mo Salah will also be a key factor as he has not started a game for the Reds since before the AFCON. Man City will have their best players available and with Haaland back in scoring form, it is hard to see past a City result on Sunday. However, with it being Klopp’s final Anfield duel with Pep and City, and the electric atmosphere that is expected in Anfield on Sunday, I feel that Liverpool will just about win this one and bring down the red curtain on this stage.
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