Jürgen Klopp’s Etihad nightmare: one win in six at Guardiola’s fortress

Draw 8 November 2020 Premier League

Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool

Kevin De Bruyne’s missed penalty in the 42nd minute, only the second time he had erred from the spot, shaped a lockdown contest Liverpool went at with conviction, as Jürgen Klopp boldly selected Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota alongside Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané. With such an onus on unfettered attack it was little wonder Kyle Walker soon found himself on the wrong side of Mané and brought down the Liverpool winger for a clear penalty, which Salah smashed into the net.

City’s equaliser swiftly followed as a De Bruyne pass found Gabriel Jesus who outfoxed Trent Alexander-Arnold with a deft first touch and spin before prodding past Alisson. But then came De Bruyne’s fluffed spot-kick, awarded on VAR advice after his cross struck Joe Gomez on the arm.

Jesus blew a gilt-edged chance on 55 minutes after João Cancelo picked him out, alone to the left of goal, but his header was all wrong. A draw ensured City’s worst start to a league season since 2008 as Liverpool rode their luck for the draw.

Defeat 2 July 2020 Premier League

Manchester City 4-0 Liverpool

A guard of honour for Klopp’s newly crowned champions by their predecessors in an empty, echoing Etihad stripped of fans by Covid preceded a withering defeat for Liverpool (who had just thumped Crystal Palace 4-0). Raheem Sterling turned on his old club with furious conviction, grabbing one goal and creating another as City scored three times in 20 first-half minutes.

De Bruyne opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Sterling was felled by Gomez. Sterling followed that with a goal from a City counterattack and Phil Foden made it three before half-time after a quick exchange with De Bruyne. Their