Chelsea’s victory over Manchester City handed Liverpool the Premier League, their first league victory in thirty years, leaving this clash between the top two as largely inconsequential except for bragging rights.
Pep Guardiola set up his side in a 4-2-3-1 formation, pushing Kevin De Bruyne up behind Gabriel Jesus, whereas Jurgen Klopp lined up a full-strength Liverpool in their usual 4-3-3.
The opening of the match was fairly even. Liverpool’s high pressure would win the ball back in attack, however heavy touches or poor passes stopped them from threatening with their counters.
City had more of a specific gameplan adapted to Liverpool. They had also tried the 4-2-3-1 in the away game earlier in the season, with the double pivot leaving Roberto Firmino unable to block the pass into both men. While they too often found themselves passing backwards in November, here they had greater success. Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum were frequently focussing on pushing up to ensure Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan weren’t left in space when Liverpool’s attackers pressed, but this left space behind them that City exploited. Kevin De Bruyne was very clever with his movement, taking up positions behind Liverpool’s midfielders so they thought they had him covered, then darting out into space to receive the ball, while both Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden tucked inside and Gabriel Jesus dropped off to pick up the ball too.
This meant that City had three players buzzing around behind Liverpool’s midfield and only Fabinho there to stop them. They could pick up the ball and run at Liverpool’s backline, with the full-backs pushing forward to provide width allowing them to outnumber them six-against-four.
None of City’s goals came from this build-up, although being able to get four attackers against Liverpool’s back four did aid them on the counter. The first was a penalty, Joe Gomez pulling at Sterling’s shirt from a throw-in. The second was a counter, with Andy Robertson making the poor albeit understandable choice to step up to press, leaving Foden free to run in behind him and outnumber the Liverpool defence.
The third was simply Foden outplaying Robertson, flicking the ball past the Scot before he could rush out then finishing with his other foot. The fourth was, again, a counter-attack.
Liverpool would look to catch out Kyle Walker by playing it into the space behind him after he pushed forward to join the attack, while the Reds were also lopsided in their build-up: Wijnaldum and Fabinho would sit next to each other while Henderson hugged the touchline, with Liverpool trying to overload the right flank. More often than not they would simply resort to long balls in behind though, trying to catch out City’s high line.
With City already running up a high score, Klopp gave up early in the second half, making changes en masse.
It was an embarrassment for Liverpool but fundamentally inconsequential. Already winning the league and out of the cups, they have nothing left to play for beyond ensuring squad players get medals. The situation has a precedent: once Liverpool won the league in 1983, they failed to win any of their remaining seven games, however supporters will hope this thrashing acts as a reminder going into next season that, despite the points difference, their competitors aren’t as far away as they may seem.
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