Pundits: How did Liverpool get the better of Manchester City last season?
Written by News on 05/10/2018
Ahead of the two sides meeting in a top-of-the-table Premier League clash at Anfield on Sunday afternoon, we asked the experts how Liverpool got the better of Manchester City last season.
Of their four meetings last season – twice in the Premier League and twice in the Champions League quarter-finals – Liverpool won three times, with Man City’s sole victory coming as a 5-0 thrashing at the Etihad Stadium in September 2017.
They face each other for the first time this season at 4.30pm on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League, and we asked our experts how the Reds managed to overcome Pep Guardiola’s side…
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Jamie Carragher
There’s no doubt the high press and aggression is perfect for Liverpool, certainly at Anfield on that tighter pitch than what we see teams normally play on. In terms of playing that way against Manchester City, there’s been a debate asking whether you really go for Man City or sit off them.
It’s difficult because whatever you try, they’re so good that they win the game. Liverpool are the only ones who have had a little bit of success.
There’s no set way of stopping Manchester City. Liverpool have a way of playing, not just against Man City but against everyone, and at the moment that looks like it’s causing Man City problems.
But I don’t think for one minute Pep Guardiola’s going to fall into that trap again. He may do something different to counteract it and that’s what you get when you get these top managers.
Matt Le Tissier
They played them at their own game, it’s as simple as that. A lot of teams go and play Man City and try to defend and contain whereas Liverpool said ‘do you know what? We fancy ourselves here’ and played good attacking football which was effective.
Charlie Nicholas
Liverpool went for Manchester City. They were the only team that didn’t fear them and didn’t give them too much respect. They didn’t focus their own game play and tactics on stopping City – they were the only team that said ‘we are going to play our way against you’. They trusted their style and weapons.
That front three were at another level and they squeezed Man City. Possession counts for nothing against Liverpool, because no matter how much you have, you can be 2-0 down in 5 minutes. I used to love the Manchester United-Liverpool games, as they always went for it against each other.
But they are surpassed by Manchester City v Liverpool games now, as they both just go head to head and throw everything at each other – it’s great.
Phil Thompson
I think the high press – rather than being technically better – just got it for Liverpool last season. Liverpool pressed so high and just did it slightly better than Man City and that was the difference. It seemed last season Liverpool were just better at getting everything right on the day itself.
Paul Merson
Because they went about them, they pressed up high and had the bottle to do that and sometimes when that did not work, they did it again and again. Some teams try to press Man City and when it does not work after 10 minutes and they slice through them, they sit back.
Liverpool are the team who press them the most and they struggle. And when you watch their press, they all know what they are doing, while they also have players who can hurt them – their front three can hurt anybody.
Ian Wright
The way they play, the expansive, offensive prowess, can frighten Manchester City. With Man City’s defence, when you’re intense with your pressing, you’re winning the balls that can hurt Manchester City because you’re straight onto them.
Liverpool – especially with their defence – can take even more of a chance of winning the ball in that area of the field. That’s what they’ve done in the past, they’ve just gone to Man City at either ground and played their game, an attacking game, winning the ball high and they’ve done it well.
Alan Smith
Liverpool were brave in their approach. They were very aggressive in their closing down and very disciplined in the way they did it. And of course they had players – for instance Mohamed Salah – who could make use of the ball when they did pinch it back. Lots of teams tried it but none were as successful as Liverpool.
(c) Sky News 2018: Pundits: How did Liverpool get the better of Manchester City last season?
