Liverpool vs Man City: 3 reasons why Jurgen Klopp’s side will reign in their Premier League encounter at the Anfield tomorrow.
Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have both revolutionised English football in recent years. In terms of popularity, the big 4 of the Premier League have become the top 6 but in reality, there are only 2 teams competing for the winner’s medal.
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Both teams took the league by storm last season and only a single point separated the two as Manchester City lifted their second consecutive Premier League trophy. Liverpool only lost once all season. However, agonisingly for them, their loss came to City at the Etihad which helped the Sky Blues secure the title.
This season Jurgen Klopp and his merry men have been on a rampage. Bar one, they have won all their matches in the Premier League and are yet to lose; and this is despite the reds not playing their best football yet.
Manchester City on the other hand have already lost twice. Their problems at defence have come to haunt them. However, their attack has helped shield their weakness. They are the only team in the league who have scored more than 30 goals despite being a game short on most teams.
City have hammered teams left and right to make up for their defensive frailties. However, it won’t be an easy feat for them to do the same at Anfield. Let us look at the 3 reasons why the Reds will prevail in the Liverpool vs Man City match tomorrow.
#3. Pep Guardiola’s unenviable record at the Anfield.
For a man that has won almost everything in football, Pep Guardiola does not have the best of records at the Anfield. Despite boasting of a world class squad, the Spaniard is yet to win a match at the Anfield. In fact, Manchester City have not managed to beat Liverpool at the Anfield in 16 years!
Pep Guardiola has termed the Anfield as the toughest stadium in Europe to play an away game in and he says that with good reason. Under Guardiola, Manchester City have made 4 trips to the Merseyside. Thrice in the Premier League and once in the Champions league.
Guardiola and his All-Stars have come out short on 3 occasions and escaped with a point only once; last season. The pressure is not on Liverpool to win this Sunday but on City. If the Liverpool vs Man City match ends in a draw or even worse, a Liverpool win, Guardiola will continue to remain behind or fall further behind a side who have made losing look impossible.
#2. Sadio Mane
Sadio Mane has arguably been Liverpool’s best player this season. He has been on the forefront of Liverpool’s attacks and is their top scorer at the moment with 6 goals. It is not just the amount of goals that makes him special but his ability to create something out of nothing when the going gets tough for the team that has set him apart this season.
However, the forward has been in the news recently after City manager, Guardiola, seemed to suggest the Senegalese, despite being world class, sometimes resorted to dives. Jurgen Klopp did not take too kindly to the accusation on his star player and stroked fire with a dig at Guardiola’s tactics of tactical fouling.
Guardiola has since retracted from his comments. However, Mane knows that he will be under the microscope by the referee in the Liverpool vs Man City match. The Senegalese has a point to prove and the forward could prove it with a vengeance tomorrow.
#1. Liverpool’s solid attack; City’s shambolic defence
While both sides boast of a world class attack, Liverpool hold the advantage when it comes to defence. The Reds defence seemed impenetrable last season. They have not been as airtight this season however, it is much better than the shambles City find themselves in.
City are currently playing a makeshift defence of John Stones and Fernadinho and Kyle Walker is the only first choice defender Guardiola has in his arsenal at the moment. However, they have only conceded one goal more than Liverpool have this season.
However, their defence are yet to be tested by another world class side. While the match will eventually be decided by their attack, Liverpool will have a much easier defence to penetrate than the one City will be up against.
Liverpool will come hard at the side with their trio of Salah, Firmino and Mane while their fullbacks Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson make forward runs and launch crosses to get the ball in the box. All the signs seem to point to a Liverpool victory tomorrow. However, this is football. Anything can happen in the 90 minutes between the whistles.
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