This season’s aggregate score between Manchester City and Liverpool might be 8-7 in Pep Guardiola’s favour but Jurgen Klopp unquestionably has his number.
Klopp now has a better head-to-head record, with six wins from 13 meetings, and can rightfully claim to be the coach most equipped at besting Guardiola across Europe.
His Liverpool team have been imperious over the two games at Anfield since January, with two blistering performances in the image of their manager.
City have otherwise only lost against Wigan, Basle and Shakhtar Donetsk this term – all with a degree of mitigation too – and Liverpool are the one club to truly frighten the Premier League champions in waiting.
Guardiola believes City can turn the three-goal deficit around in the second leg on Tuesday, and will think back to the 5-0 win at the Etihad Stadium in September.
Yet there are difficulties he has undoubtedly struggled to overcome at Anfield – he’s lost three consecutive games there now – and Sportsmail looks at how Klopp has managed to ruffle City feathers.
Pep Guardiola has undoubtedly struggled to overcome difficulties at Anfield as Man City boss
Taking risks
City are generally dealt serious respect wherever they go but that is not the case on the red side of Stanley Park. Klopp has the beauty of a sensational attacking trio, and therefore able to base his game around getting them on the ball as quickly as possible, but that should not detract from Liverpool’s fearlessness.
There aren’t many teams willing to crash into 50-50s in midfield, take risks in attempting to intercept and get tight to the likes of David Silva. Other clubs, and big clubs at that, are worried about being spun and looking at the backs of City’s midfield but Liverpool are willing to take chances and it has paid off.
Klopp has the beauty of a sensational attacking trio who once again came to the fore
Klopp’s mould
Liverpool live for the fire and fury and that is amplified when City are in town. Klopp drums it into them and there is an insatiable appetite to harass and make life uncomfortable.
The German’s intense touchline snarl is mirrored by his players, who feed off the manager’s energy. Klopp’s vigour does have a bearing on these games and it is one of the reasons why he is such a perfect fit for the club.
Anfield is obviously a factor in that and the atmosphere on Wednesday was white hot after the shameful scenes outside 90 minutes before kick-off, when the City bus was pelted with bottles.
Jurgen Klopp ensures there is an insatiable appetite to harass City when they are in town
A clash of similar styles
Liverpool aggressively hunt possession and so do City – the two front-runners in England at that. Several stars will converge on the opposition at once in unison to devastating effect.
But there are differences within the common goal of winning the ball high up the pitch. Their starting positions differ.
Liverpool press while still in their attacking shape. Again, it is a risk if one does not snap quickly enough, but presents City with a different problem to contend.
By contrast, City tend to chase down the ball after speedily reverting to their defensive shape with greater onus placed upon positioning. Klopp is about the immediate impact, whereas Guardiola is more meticulous. It is merely a question of whether Liverpool can keep it up and that is more probable when they are pumped.
Wide areas
Klopp has played Guardiola at his own game to a certain degree in the Premier League win and Wednesday’s Champions League demolition. The full backs are told to push on at every opportunity in the hope of doubling up, while Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane do not always track back.
City have been left unsure whether to stick or twist out wide when those two stay high. The way in which that happened in January might have been in Guardiola’s mind as he over-thought his set-up.
City attempted to overload midfield with Ilkay Gundogan replacing Raheem Sterling and Andrew Robertson gleefully accepted the invitation to rampage forward, leaving Kyle Walker exposed.
Andrew Robertson gleefully accepted the invitation to rampage forward on Wednesday night
City’s weaknesses
Guardiola overdid it tactically but has been fairly unfortunate at Anfield this year at left back, a position on which he places great importance.
Fabian Delph limped out of the league defeat, replaced by Danilo, before the nine-minute capitulation which saw three efforts fly into Ederson’s net.
Delph’s played just twice since then and was only fit enough for the bench on Wednesday as Guardiola opted for the normally defensively solid Aymeric Laporte over Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Laporte looked all at sea against Salah, however, and offered little going forward. It was an area Liverpool targeted and City had no answers.
Normally defensively solid, Aymeric Laporte looked all at sea against Liverpool’s Mo Salah