It had seemed a triumphant farewell for Pep Guardiola at the place which became his personal house of horrors. His final trip to Anfield brought a first win in front of the crowd that tended to taunt him. One of the abiding images of his decade-long stay at Manchester City came away at Liverpool, Guardiola waving two fingers in the air, shouting “twice” about the penalty appeals his side saw rejected in 2019.
Seven years on, some would say there have been greater injustices in the Premier League. City have a more significant appeal than merely questioning a refereeing decision or two. The story of Guardiola’s epic duel with Jurgen Klopp may require some rewriting. Anfield, forever a hostile place for City to visit, will be still more so after the independent commission found them guilty of 114 of the charges the Premier League levelled.
