Liverpool in the first half, produced a blistering display to stun Manchester city 3-0 in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Champions League. PEP Guardiola got so much right in this season, but it was difficult to avoid the feeling that he was wrong at Anfield, writes Adam BATE.
Manchester city have been alerted. Liverpool were already the only team unbeaten in the Premier League this season; Liverpool FC is the only Premier League from the ground where they tasted defeat in any competition. But it took a little over an hour for men Jurgen Klopp to blow up the Champions elect on an electric evening in the Champions League.
Liverpool Liverpool. Appeared to the eleven. They played with intensity and pressed city all over the field. That much was to be expected. What few foresaw that the city will once again prove, so completely unable to cope with the pressure, as the hosts succeeded in error, causing the error players, PEP Guardiola.
He summed up the Modus operandi of Liverpool’s first two goals came from tackles. Kyle Walker was robbed Roberto Firmino allowing Mohamed Salah a chance to score the first goal. Ilkay Gundogan does not want to only 50-50 challenge with James Milner after that saw the ball break to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who smashed it into the net.
The city has lost control. Nicolas Otamendi charged the field and was dispossessed. Emeric Laporte to contrive, to show Salah on the left leg and offered him a cross. Sadio mane duly made it 3-0. There was still plenty of time to go back, but instead the city is not able to call a shot for the first time in almost 18 months under Guardiola.
Klopp became his bete Noir. Guardiola has beaten him only once in the last six attempts with Germany, there were more than defeating him than any other Manager. It is not a coincidence. Styles make fights and scored seven goals in his last two games against Guardiola, Klopp found a way to strike a crushing blow at the passages.
Everton vs Liverpool
April 7, 2018, 11:30 am
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The city lost the ball on 177 occasions in the night of Wednesday – more than in any other match this season. In fact, more than any other game ever under Guardiola, with the exception of one – Boxing day 2016 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. This particular clash of styles clearly speaks of the great priest gegenpressing.
The Manchester city Manager was praised all season, and rightly so. His side are still on course to break the record Premier League and in doing so, they keep playing football of a quality rarely seen on these shores. But this only underscores why it was such a disappointing performance – on the field and in the dugout.
The decision to play Gundogan ahead of Raheem sterling was a surprise. In the absence of Sergio Aguero due to injury, winger not only scored more goals this season than any player to Guardiola, but he also came into this game against his former club in good form, gaining a definitive victory over Everton at the weekend.
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Guardiola felt the need to drop sterling for this match on Merseyside was unaware that the psychological impact that the previous visit to Anfield was more than any from the shells shot into the Manchester city team coach before the starting whistle. It was a step backwards, and gave little additional protection, and plundered the city of much-needed width in attack.
The entire burden has been put on Leroy Sane to provide a cutting edge on the left flank. It was clear that the city believed that they could put Trent Alexander-Arnold, a young defender, which looked so vulnerable against the pace and movement of “Manchester United” Marcus Rashford and crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha in recent weeks.
Again and again the balloons were released in his direction in hope that the sane could also use this space. It seemed a viable tactic in the opening exchanges, but Alexander Arnold warmed to the task and sane wilted. By the end of the night, with the city more and more desperate, he settled for laying the ball in. He had lost hope of beating his man.
Manchester city vs Manchester United
April 7, 2018 5:00 PM
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It was a tie in the microcosm. Even as the hosts tired, the city ran out of ideas. They changed their forms of struggle against Liverpool, but succeeded only in breaking their own rhythm. Perhaps it was a calculated risk that they need only to avoid heavy defeat in the first match. But Guardiola is too clever by half and he helped create this very scenario.
Speaking afterwards, neither coach was willing to admit that the confrontation lasts, but given that Liverpool are on average three goals per game in their last 15 away matches, the prospects for the city look bleak. One goal Liverpool next Tuesday will leave Guardiola’s men in need of five. They will surely have to settle for the Premier League now.
Ago at the Etihad stadium on Saturday, it is possible to conclude that the trophy in style with a victory over “Manchester United”. That should be enough to change the mood of fans “Manchester city” very quickly and remind everyone about what has been achieved this season. But the problem Liverpool Jurgen Klopp remains a mystery unsolved.
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