Remember December 2024? Pep Guardiola and Manchester City were 2-0 down at Liverpool, and the Anfield faithful were absolutely roasting him, chanting “you’re getting sacked in the morning” at the opposing boss. Nobody actually thought he was getting fired, but his side was staring down a fourth straight Premier League defeat, which is just wild. Guardiola, ever the showman, shot back, lifting six fingers to the crowd, flashing those six Premier League titles he’d won with City. But man, that exchange is taking on a whole new meaning now.
“Absolutely Not” Tainted? Tell That to Liverpool’s History Books
Those six titles Guardiola threw up? Some folks are absolutely questioning each one of ’em after an independent commission found City guilty of the majority of 115 financial charges brought by the Premier League. Can you even believe it? City’s current boss, Enzo Maresca, came out swinging on Friday, saying the club’s titles are “absolutely not” tainted. But come Sunday, he and his squad are stepping into a whole new world, a new normal, and it’s going down at a ferocious Anfield. Guardiola always said that place was tough, and it’s about to be even tougher.
Liverpool’s goalkeeping coach for years, John Achterberg, was with the Reds under both Brendan Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp. He told The Athletic it’s about “the memories and the successes that you were wrongly denied.” They won one Premier League title in 2019-20, but Achterberg feels it “could have been four” because City pipped them three times by just a single point: in 2013-14 under Rodgers, then again in 2018-19 (Liverpool had 97 points, one shy of City’s) and 2021-22 (92 points, one shy). That’s gotta burn, right? The verdict on City’s appeal is still out, and City insists they’re innocent, but you know sections of the Liverpool fanbase and former players are feeling totally aggrieved.
This Is What Makes Soccer The Best
Maresca’s City squad is riding high, five out of five wins in the Premier League this term, a 100% start. That’s huge. But for Andoni Iraola and Liverpool, Sunday is a chance to truly kickstart their campaign, fueled by this wild backstory. The Reds boss called it an “exciting game.” They’re playing at home against the league leaders, a team that’s won all its games. He knows it’s gonna be “quite an open game” because both sides are going for it, and they have to be ready to match the high level. Iraola even said this is exactly the kind of fixture he relished when he took the Liverpool job. “They are very good but we also are very good,” he said, and you gotta love that confidence.
It’s gonna be the first time since 2015 that neither Klopp nor Guardiola will be pacing the touchline, but don’t kid yourself, a hostile atmosphere is absolutely guaranteed. Liverpool chairman Tom Werner will be there to soak it all in. This rivalry, especially since Abu Dhabi took over City in 2008, has consistently delivered on the field and, yeah, sometimes off it too. Think back to 2018 when Liverpool fans threw missiles at the City bus before a Champions League quarter-final first leg at Anfield, earning the Reds a fine from Uefa. Then Liverpool went out and scored three goals in 19 first-half minutes to knock City out. Earlier that season, Klopp’s crew ended City’s unbeaten streak. The tension is real, and the history runs deep.
Iraola summed up the situation with City’s charges perfectly: “The worst thing probably is the uncertainty. No-one knows what’s going to happen.” He’s focused on Liverpool being the best club and team they can be. You just know Maresca will be demanding a “siege mentality” from his Man City squad. It’s Sunday, it’s Anfield, and it’s gonna be absolutely electric. Can City keep their perfect start against a Liverpool side looking for justice, or at least a big win? We’re all gonna find out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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