Nostalgia is overrated, Man City and Liverpool is greatest Premier League rivalry

Manchester City and Liverpool are preparing to embark on the next chapters of their rivalry, as meetings in the Premier League and FA Cup semi-finals loom.

The outcomes of both matches - the first of which is a league meeting at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday - could prove decisive in the success of each team's season. That's an exciting prospect for neutrals, but a terrifying one for supporters.

Just 30-odd miles separate City and Liverpool, yet there isn't a team anywhere in the world better than either. Under the leadership of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp respectively, both have played breathtaking football over recent years and year-on-year are gunning for every trophy available; City could win the treble this season, while Liverpool are aiming for a quadruple.

READ MORE: Pep Guardiola has already hinted at Man City line up changes vs Liverpool

It seems strange then that City vs Liverpool is not regarded by many - neutrals and fans of both clubs alike - as one of the great Premier League rivalries.

One of the main arguments is that the match-up does not have the distinction of time or history, so by definition, it cannot be described as 'classic'. That's indisputable; City and Liverpool have only really been direct rivals since 2017/18, whereas before that they seemed to pass each other by as each enjoyed periods of success.

Others argue that there is a lack of needle or bad blood between the two clubs, and so cannot be considered a proper rivalry. The battles in the 2000s between Arsenal and Manchester United and Liverpool and Chelsea were characterised by controversy, mind games and on-field altercations, which only added to the drama provided by the exciting football on display.

Guardiola and Klopp are happy to