Liverpool legend John Barnes has given his thoughts on Jamie Carragher's claim that the Reds are one half of the best rivalry in English football history amid their battle with Manchester City.
Speaking before last weekend's huge clash between the two sides, Sky Sports pundit Carragher proclaimed: "This Man City Liverpool rivalry is the best we’ve ever had in English football!! We’ve never had the two best teams and managers in the world together fighting it out."
The bold claim has sparked plenty of discussion among some of the footballing world's most prominent figures, including the managers of both sides in Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp. Upon hearing it was a former Reds star that made the assessment, Klopp swiftly agreed with Carragher.
However, Barnes has dispute the suggestion. Speaking to BonusCodeBets, the former England international said: "Despite Jamie Carragher’s view, Manchester City vs Liverpool isn’t the greatest rivalry in Premier League history.
"Certainly not at the moment anyway. Particularly when you remember Arsene Wenger vs Sir Alex Ferguson with Arsenal and Manchester United and the way they went head-to-head for years." Though City and Liverpool, much like Arsenal and United of years prior, are vying for league titles - the games between Guardiola and Klopp's respective teams lack similar animosity.
In terms of the most intense managerial rivalries, Wenger versus Ferguson is widely viewed as the most iconic of the Premier League-era. Particularly from the Frenchman's arrival in late 1996 until around 2006 - when Arsenal were still challenging for the game's highest honours on a regular basis.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Is Liverpool vs Man City the best rivalry in English football history? Comment below
Guardiola and Klopp have faced off plenty of times since their first encounter in Germany nine years ago while they were at the helms of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund respectively. Rarely has a cross-word been said between the pair, but Barnes feels the rivalry could still match that of Wenger and Ferguson's.
"City vs Liverpool is certainly the greatest rivalry if you look at the past three years. When Jurgen Klopp first came in seven years ago, the rivalry wasn’t there, so it’s only really developed in the last three. If things continue this way, then certainly, it could become the greatest ever.
"When you look at what Wenger and Ferguson went through together though, it’s just too early to call this [Liverpool and City] the greatest." The last meeting between the two ended in a 2-2 draw, but the sides meet again at Wembley for the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday afternoon.
