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Liverpool vs Manchester City - The Last Dance

Liverpool vs Manchester City - The Last Dance

The last encounter between Klopp and Guardiola in the Premier League

Fussball Coach
March 12, 2024

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⚽Liverpool vs Manchester City - The Last Dance
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⚽Liverpool vs Manchester City - The Last Dance

The highly anticipated game between Liverpool and City ended in a 1-1 draw. It was the last time Klopp and Guardiola faced off as coaches. This match was nicknamed "The Last Dance" as Klopp proclaimed he would never coach another English team again. The match was less defined by tactical nuances and more by a showdown between two proud coaches, showcasing their philosophies on the pitch. Now, let's delve into the four pivotal moments and facts of the game. But before that, let's take a closer look at the starting lineups of both teams.

The lineups

1. Ähnlich und doch verschieden:

Wenn man sich allein das Positionsspiel und die Formationen ansieht, könnte man den Eindruck gewinnen, dass beide Mannschaften exakt gleich spielen.

Gemeinsamkeiten:

In possession: Deep in their own half, both teams prefer to build up with a back four and two holding midfielders. In this setup, both under Klopp and Guardiola, the goalkeeper is involved to create a numerical advantage. In open play, they then switch to a 3-2-2-3 or 3-2-5 system.
While at City, Jones Stones moved into the center and Silva and De Bruyne positioned themselves higher up the field, the set up at Liverpool looked slightly different: Bradley took on the wing position, Szoboszlai moved into the center and occupied the intermediate spaces along with Elliott.
Defense: Both teams aimed to disrupt the opponent's build-up play early, especially during the goalkeeper's goal kick. After the initial line of defense was breached, both teams defended in a 4-4-2 formation.
Transition play after losing possession: Both teams attempt to immediately transition and regain possession within a few seconds after losing the ball.

Differences:

Although both teams employ similar tactical formations, they exhibit different playing styles. While Klopp is known for his energetic and aggressive approach, Pep favors a controlled and possession-oriented approach.

Klopp's team is characterized by their physical strength, not only through targeted pressing in the final third of the field but also across the entire pitch. Pep Lijnders, Klopp's assistant coach, explained in an interview that their pressing aims not only to disrupt the opponent but also to relentlessly hunt them down across the entire field. Their goal was to give Manchester City's technically skilled players little time and space to develop their game flow, which they successfully achieved throughout the match.

In contrast, Pep Guardiola's team employs a clear pressing strategy, particularly after a goalkeeper's kick. However, they retreat once the initial line of defense is bypassed and then attempt to establish midfield pressing.

Klopp's team adopts a more direct attacking tactic and relies more on quick counter-attacks compared to Manchester City. While City also experienced fast transition moments in this game, they are more inclined, to control the ball and calm the game down.

2. City's Corner Kick Goal:

In modern football, set-piece situations are becoming more important. Nowadays, every little detail is analyzed carefully. That's why it's almost necessary for top teams to have a specialist for set-pieces. The first goal, making it 1-0, is a great example of how effective these planned moves can be. While Aké blocked Mac Allister's way, John Stones cleverly found space and scored after a brilliant pass from De Bruyne.

3. City's Passivity:

After Pep's team scored the goal, they gradually began to lose control of the game. They retreated unusually far back and played passively, allowing Liverpool to gain momentum. Towards the end of the first half, Liverpool even had more possession than City. Momentum is crucial in football and often lies beyond the direct control of the coach. A goal can trigger momentum for both sides. Statistics show that in the 5-10 minutes after a goal, both opportunities and risks exist for both teams. During this phase, teams can either take higher risks, potentially leading to another goal or conceding one, or they become more passive and lose their rhythm.

4. Liverpool's Penalty Goal:

Liverpool managed to maintain their strong performance just before halftime into the second half, while City struggled to regain their rhythm and shape their game. This led to Aké making a crucial mistake when attempting to pass back to Ederson, which wasn't sharp enough. As a result, Nunez reached the ball first, and Ederson brought him down, resulting in a clear penalty that Mac Allister confidently converted.

It's somewhat reassuring to see that even at the highest level, simple mistakes can occur, not just in our amateur circles, although such errors are naturally rarer among professionals.

Liverpool vs Manchester City Stats - Post-Match Facts

Liverpool had 19 shots in today’s game against Manchester City – their most in a Premier League game against the Citizens since February 2013 (22). 12 of those shots came in the second half, which was the most Man City have faced after half time in a league game since May 2021 (12 v Brighton).
Kevin De Bruyne has been directly involved in 13 goals in 12 appearances for Manchester City in 2024 (two goals, 11 assists); the most of any Premier League player across all competitions this year.
With Conor Bradley (20), Harvey Elliott (20) and Jarell Quansah (21) all starting, it was the first time Liverpool had named three players aged 21 or under in a Premier League starting XI against Manchester City since March 2015 (Raheem Sterling, Emre Can and Lazar Markovic).

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