Liverpool’s record at the Etihad under Jurgen Klopp isn’t the best reading for Reds fans, with the last Premier League victory for Liverpool in Manchester was a 4-1 demolition in Klopp’s first meeting with the side who have been their main rivals for every competition for years on end.
The Klopp and Guardiola era has seen some enthralling encounters and many memorable meetings in the Premier League, with the two sides spearheading every competition, and the games played have been nothing short of a spectacle.
From 5-0 humiliations to title-clinching three points, we can expect another event in the crucible of the Etihad Stadium.
Liverpool have a relatively satisfying record against the Citizens, but at the home of the Champions, it’s not been the best stomping ground for Jurgen Klopp’s men, but they have every chance of going away from home and clinching three points which could prove pivotal come May.
Here’s why I think this Liverpool side have the capabilities to pull a result off against the odds:
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Klopp vs Pep
The rivalry between Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola spirals back to their days in the Bundesliga, with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, and just like in England, the pair battled for every domestic trophy available to them.
There were many memorable meetings in Germany and that’s where the rivalry grew its roots, before it intensified when the pair began their managerial voyages in England.
The first time the two locked horns in England was a cold and brisk night under the Anfield lights towards the tail end of 2016. Adam Lallana’s deep ball into the area was met on the head by the advancing Georginio Wijnaldum who nodded past City shot-stopper Claudio Bravo after 8 minutes.
Since then, both significantly strengthened and have competed at the highest level with their respective clubs, including Premier League, Champions League, Domestic Trophies and many more.
In terms of head-to-head between the pair, Klopp comes out on top having won 12 games, with Guardiola triumphing on 11 occasions with 5 stalemates.
This shows that both are tight-knitted, head-to-head encounters and it can go either way as Klopp has shown he can beat Guardiola despite his side being the favourite.
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Liverpool’s impressive record against City
The Reds have always possessed a fantastic record over Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola triumphing in only 4 Premier League games against Liverpool in 14 outings.
This has always been the case with Liverpool, as they have far the better head-to-head record when they face the Champions.
The big game mentality always plays into the mind of the Liverpool players, who for years on end have always delivered on the big occasions, and plenty of these games have come against Manchester City as the two have always gone hammer and tong for every honour available.
Recently, Guardiola stated his toughest challengers since his tenure at City was Liverpool, highlighting his struggles against the Merseyside outfit as the two have been the most consistent outfits over the last couple of seasons.
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New look Liverpool poses threat
Last year was no doubt a significant drop off for Liverpool and what they wanted to achieve, and Manchester City’s perennial challengers flattered to deceive.
A roost of fresh faces, a new skipper and a new style was implanted at Anfield as the Reds needed to return to their old ways, and they have in some style.
One factor about this Liverpool side is that they have a team spirit injected back in, where if they go behind, you could have hope that they’d be able to turn the game on its head.
Liverpool have scored the majority of their goals in the second period and a lot have come from losing positions, so a fighting spirit has been put back into them.
