Imitation, the old saying goes, is the sincerest form of flattery, and as Manchester City gear up to host Liverpool in this weekend's Premier League grudge match, the two teams have never appeared more similar.
Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp were once deemed as polar opposites despite their attacking principles. Since his emergence as the world's most decorated coach, the former has reiterated his love for the ball on a countless number of occasions. Possession is and always has been everything to Guardiola.
Klopp originated from a different place. The German has favoured penetration as opposed to possession throughout his managerial career. His initial rise as a pioneer of sorts in his homeland revolved around his unorthodox approach against the ball and how it managed to highlight the pitfalls of possession-based football.
"I don’t like winning with 80% possession," he once said. "Fighting football, not serenity football, that is what I like." The quintessential Klopp performance was known to incorporate turnovers, counter-attacks, second balls, energy and aggressive pressing high up the field. Everything was full tilt.
Guardiola's game was nowhere near as chaotic, it was about perfection. The priority for the Catalan was control yet on Sunday afternoon, both coaches will almost gaze into a mirror. Man City and Liverpool, after years of competition at the pinnacle of English football, have essentially copied one another.
Guardiola's current outfit has been constructed to optimise the strengths of Joao Cancelo amongst others. The Portuguese international is more effective in possession than most of his peers, and he's been presented with a platform to showcase his offensive qualities at the Etihad.
No player in the Premier League has completed more passes into the penalty box than Cancelo this season, and only one has accumulated more progressive passes: Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The Reds academy graduate is Klopp's version of the playmaking full-back. His remarkable ability to find the most valuable areas of the pitch from traditionally harmless spaces changed things for Liverpool. Opponents were no longer able to funnel possession towards the safe zones of the field, and Guardiola seemed to take note before empowering Cancelo.
Klopp has been equally inclined to glance in the direction of his rival with intrigue. His turbulent brand of wild football wasn't enough to deliver consistent results upon his arrival in England. The 54 year-old needed to establish dominance and he began doing so by adopting elements of Guardiola's game.
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Ex-Reds midfielder Javier Mascherano, who has played under Guardiola, has recognised the tactical evolution. "I have been following Klopp since he coached Dortmund," said the Argentine, "which was a pressing team similar to Liverpool but now, he has added positional play, whereas before it was much more direct."
Klopp's reluctance to embrace possession has waned over time. He once relied upon counter-pressing as his primary means of generating opportunities to score goals but with every passing year on Merseyside, he's shown a greater appreciation for choreographed plays and intricate passing moves.
Thiago Alcantara's signature in 2020 epitomised Liverpool's shift. A delicate product of Barcelona's youth academy, he was a controller rather than an instigator of disorder. The Spanish midfielder was once a favourite of Guardiola during his time at Bayern Munich. He was the kind of player that Klopp's approach was designed to fluster.
Only Liverpool are averaging more shots per match than Man City this season. Only Man City are facing fewer shots per match than Liverpool this season.
Two Brazilian goalkeepers will play between the sticks during Sunday's bout, each of whom will hope to build moves from the back while sweeping up through balls far from goal. 4-3-3 seems likely to be the go-to formation for both teams and perhaps most telling of all, neither coach will deploy a recognised striker.
Guardiola's attack has consisted of a gang of technicians for the past 12 months. His team of elegant creators have played keep-ball all season, personifying the nature of their perfectionist trainer. They have shared their responsibilities in the final third by forever rotating positions and spreading goals across the entire team.
Klopp's system has operated without a traditional marksman since Roberto Firmino became a regular starter. His strikerless attack has prospered thanks to the tricky forwards who have assumed the front three positions at Anfield. Unlike Man City, Liverpool have acquired unpolished gems who are direct and goal-oriented as opposed playmakers who are delicate and pleasing on the eye.
In many ways, the stylistic contrast between the players who occupy the offensive spots for each team captures the original difference between the two elite coaches.
Guardiola is still obsessed with control, grace and technique, and Klopp is still in search of penetration, chaos and intensity. But the duo have never been more alike.
