Liverpool 1-0 Man City: James Milner makes surprise claim about performance

They have quality throughout their squad but perhaps not enough to play the kind of short-passing “keep-ball” that Guardiola loves.

“It is unbelievably hard in this league but we can not have a look at Chelsea, they are unbelievably strong and they are on an outstanding run”. They were also going to have to win more individual battles, a prospect that didn’t seem particularly realistic while John Stones was allowing himself to be beaten to header after header by Firmino.

The win left Liverpool in second place in the Premier League table and six points behind leaders Chelsea heading into the new year.

“I think it will be a little bit about how we protect our own attacks because both teams are pretty good on the counter-attack”, said the German, who enjoyed 4-1 and 3-0 league victories over City last season. “But it’s pleasing to be up there, we need to concentrate on our business, racking up the wins and improving as a team – which we’re doing all the time“. This game had shades of a Rafa Benitez set up about it, similar to how he had us playing away from home in Europe. And the next game is waiting already against Sunderland. Liverpool and Manchester City will be keen to put their title aspirations to the fore in front on a sell-out Anfield crowd and thaw out a frosty afternoon on Merseyside.

The Reds will once again have to make do without the services of Phil Coutinho and Joel Matip (both ankle), with the duo pencilled in for a return to first-team action on 8 January (FA Cup clash with Plymouth Argyle).

“The reason I say that is because I look at the back four”. But that’s the situation.

Klopp’s second placed side have scored 45 goals in 18 Premier League matches, while third placed City have hit the back of the net 39 times.

– Pep Guardiola has now suffered twice as many league defeats this season (four) as he did in the entire 2015-16 Bundesliga campaign with Bayern Munich (two).

Stoke, now winless in four league games, caused Liverpool’s defence a number of problems in the first half, with former players Peter Crouch and Joe Allen instrumental for the Potters. Leicester City achieved the impossible but are now struggling in the depths of the relegation zone just six months later, while Chelsea have taken the Premier League by storm in the new season.

After a 1-0 result had been secured at Anfield on Saturday night, the vice-captain admitted to frustration that the Reds were unable to play the free-flowing football produced so often this season.

– Sergio Aguero did not record a touch in the opposition box in this game.