HOW PREMIER LEAGUE’S LATEST GREAT RIVALRY HAS UNFOLDED

IT IS now the most important rivalry in the Premier League. It is not as bitter as other big rivalries but there is no doubt that Manchester City and Liverpool are the two dominant forces in the English game.

Now they go head-to-head for the Premier League title again and tomorrow’s showdown could play a pivotal role in where the trophy ends up this season. We take a look back at how the rivalry between the two has grown on the pitch…

2017-18

Liverpool finished 25 points behind City but this was the season during which Jurgen Klopp’s side showed they could take on Pep Guardiola’s outfit. The Reds were thumped 5-0 by City at the start of the campaign but a classic January encounter ended with

By

Chris McKenna

a 4-3 win for the Merseysiders. However, it was in the Champions League that Klopp’s men really showed they could take on City, hammering them 3-0 in the quarterfinal first leg at Anfield before a 2-1 victory at the Etihad on their way to the final.

2018-19

Having gone all the way to the Champions League final, Liverpool were ready for a title challenge at last.

It was a season of fine margins and 11 millimetres could have changed it.

Their first meeting ended in a draw but in a huge January clash at the Etihad, John Stones, left, made a miraculous goalline clearance to deny Sadio Mane. City won 2-1 to narrow the gap to four points at the top.

It was the only league game the Reds lost all season but it was huge as City overhauled them after winning 16 of their next 17 games to win the title by a point.

2019-20

Liverpool were the European kings, City the English champions. It looked set for another titanic battle for the title.

But this time City could not keep pace with Klopp’s team, who beat them 3-1 in November and won the title by 18 points. Not even a global pandemic could stop them and a 4-0 City win at the Etihad in July was worthless.

2020-21

Liverpool managed a point at the Etihad a few weeks after losing Virgil van Dijk, right, to an injury but City were back at their best.

They beat the Reds 4-1 in February on their way to winning the title and finished the season 17 points ahead of Klopp’s side.