The best meetings between Liverpool and Manchester City

23rd November 2023

While Liverpool haven’t been as consistent, and certainly not as successful, as Manchester City in recent times, the pair have sparked up a rivalry that’s created some thrilling storylines in the Premier League over the last five years or so.

The Reds have pushed Pep Guardiola’s men all the way on a couple of occasions, with Man City winning the league by just a solitary point in both the 2021-22 and 2018-19 seasons.

Meanwhile, Liverpool had the last laugh when winning their first title in 30 years by a comfortable 18 points from their Manchester counterparts in the Covid-hit 2019-20 campaign.

They are set to clash again at the Etihad Stadium on November 25, and the hosts are the favourites in the Man City v Liverpool odds as Guardiola’s men aim to stay atop the table.

It promises to be another enthralling encounter, so as we countdown to kick-off, let’s take a look at some of the best meetings between Liverpool and Man City in the Guardiola v Klopp Era.

2017-18: Liverpool 4-3 Manchester City

This was another uncompetitive season overall, with Man City winning the title by 19 points clear of their local rivals Manchester United, while Liverpool were 25 points behind in fourth.

However, the Reds still managed to get the better of the eventual Premier League winners in a 4-3 classic at Anfield.

Having lost 5-0 at the Etihad earlier in the season, Klopp’s side were out for revenge.

The scores were tied 1-1 at half-time, but Liverpool came out firing in the second 45 minutes, and goals from Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah put them three goals in front.

Goals in the dying embers from Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan gave the visitors a glimmer of hope, but it was too little too late for Manchester City, and Liverpool held on to win.

2020-21: Liverpool 1-4 Manchester City

Man City won the title convincingly in 2020-21, and they beat the then-defending champions comfortably in their backyard.

Gundogan failed to convert a penalty late in the first half, but his goal early in the second half sprung the game into life.

Salah equalised from the spot before John Stones had a goal chalked off by VAR.

City then put the game to bed, with Gundogan, Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden all scoring in a 10-minute window.

2022-23: Man City 4-1 Liverpool

Another 4-1 win for the Citizens and another eventual title win for Guardiola’s side, this victory cut Arsenal’s gap at the top of the table to five and hampered Liverpool’s top-four ambitions.

The hosts were without their talisman Erling Haaland, which would have made bettors sceptical about including Man City in their football accumulators.

Salah fired Liverpool into an early lead at the Etihad, but Julian Alvarez got his side back on level terms just 10 minutes later.

The second-half whistle had barely blown by the time Kevin De Bruyne had the ball in the back of the net to give City the lead, and Gundogan put them two goals in front just minutes later.

Klopp made a string of changes in the 70th minute to try and inspire a comeback, but Jack Grealish put the hosts out of reach in the 74th minute.