Liverpool vs Manchester City

Georginio Wijnaldum’s early goal proved the difference on Saturday evening as Liverpool rounded off an encouraging year with a 1-0 triumph over Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at Anfield.

Points from Liverpool’s 12 matches involving the Premier League top six, a mini league which the Reds top.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson suffered a heel injury during the 1-0 win over Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday.

Guardiola’s Bayern Munich beat Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund side in three of their four league matches with his only defeat, in April 2014, coming after Bayern had already wrapped up the title.

“They are like a steamroller, unstoppable, and I have never seen anything like it”, said Pep Guardiola of Jurgen Klopp’s side.

“I don’t know if I need to be anything but to be happy when we win against City”.

It has all the ingredients for a cracking game of football with both teams renowned for their attacking styles of play and defensive weaknesses.

Liverpool signalled their intent to add to their tally within 60 seconds of the re-start when Nathaniel Clyne chested down a cross from Firmino inside the area, but failed to get any direction on his effort under the attentions of Nicolas Otamendi.

“We were not quite as good in possession as we should have been We defended really well but we were not as confident with the ball”.

While Guardiola’s football is about dominating the ball and attacking expansively, Klopp football is about waiting for a mistake and pouncing with a ferocious counter-attack.

The England global has blossomed into one of the Merseyside outfit’s key players over the past 18 months since Klopp’s appointment as Brendan Rodgers’ successor back in October 2015.

Though not too convincing in their midweek encounter with Hull City, they showed class to squeeze out a result and cart away all three points. I don’t know of any real chances for them.

Likewise, will it be the crisp Guardiola machine that made his old Barcelona charges look lost at the Etihad in the Champions League?

“The quality of Man City, the situation – when you invest so much in a game like this at the end you want to have it all”.

Raheem Sterling is set to face a hostile reception as he returns to Anfield for only the second time since his controversial £49 million move previous year.

Liverpool are the paragon of this philosophy; they have the most tackles in the opposition half this season with 88.

It is the flawless year-ending treat: Liverpool versus Manchester City, two Premier League title challengers brimful of attacking, pass-andmove brio and full of goals duelling at high pace at one of England’s noisiest and most storied venues.