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For a moment, as the ball dropped to Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho in the Liverpool box deep into injury time, it seemed as though an unlikely comeback was on. But the Brazilian’s shot was deflected over the bar by Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool’s 3–2 lead in the FA Cup semifinal was preserved. Jürgen Klopp’s side goes on to the final, where it will meet either Chelsea or Crystal Palace, its dreams of a double still alive.
But Liverpool and City are probably the best two club sides in the world at the moment, and theirs has become such a rivalry that matches between them are not just about that game, but reflect on previous matches and help create the environment for the future. After last week’s 2–2 draw in the league, City still holds a one-point lead in the Premier League title race, while if both win their semifinals, they will meet for a fourth time this season in the Champions League final. Liverpool has already won the League Cup and becomes only the 11th side ever to reach both domestic Cup finals in the same season.
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No manager, over any significant time frame, has such a successful record against Pep Guardiola as Klopp, who has won 10 of 24 meetings, losing eight. That statistic though does not quite tell the full story of their relationship. Klopp had not won any of the previous five meetings, two of which were lost heavily. In both 2–2 draws in the league this season, City had the better of the first half without taking advantage. The sense was that, despite Liverpool’s squad improving, Guardiola had begun to get the better of their personal battle.
This was an emphatic rejoinder: 3–2 did not represent Liverpool’s domination; this time it was the turn of Klopp’s side to dominate the first half and then find itself under pressure later on. The one caveat would be that this was far from City’s strongest side with Kevin De Bruyne, İlkay Gündoğan, Rodri, Aymeric Laporte and Riyad Mahrez all left on the bench—a result of a grueling fortnight for City in which it overcame Atlético Madrid over two legs as well as facing Liverpool. Liverpool may point out that it also won a Champions League quarterfinal in that time, but it led 3–1 after the first leg against Benfica, which is, anyway, not such a physical test as Atlético.
Klopp described the first half, which ended with Liverpool 3–0 up, was “one of the best we ever played”. His side might not have been especially fluent, but it pinned City back with its intensity. And City, with Nathan Aké at enter-back, Oleksandr Zinchenko at left back and Zack Steffen in goal, was startlingly vulnerable.
First Ibrahima Konaté powered by a meek Aké to head in a left-wing corner, his third goal in his last three games. Eight minutes later, Steffen dallied on the ball and Sadio Mané tackled the ball over the line. Then in the final minute of the half, Liverpool at last put together a move of real quality, culminating in Thiago Alcântara crossing for Mane to lash a volley past Steffen, whose positioning was perhaps at fault. It was the first time City had conceded three in the first half of a game since Liverpool beat it 3–0 in the quarterfinal of the Champions League four years ago.
City improved after the break and Jack Grealish pulled one back after smart play from Gabriel Jesus within two minutes. Jesus had other chances, but Liverpool had opportunities as well before Bernardo Silva added a second in injury time. That led to a frantic final few moments but the game had effectively been won in the first half.
This has largely been regarded as a friendly rivalry both because it is relatively new and because of the obvious respect between the two managers, but that may not endure. A vocal minority of City fans chanted through the minute’s silence to remember the 97 victims of the Hillsborough disaster, the 23rd anniversary of which fell on Friday. “Manchester City are extremely disappointed with the actions of some City supporters during the minute’s silence before today’s game,” a club statement read. “The club sincerely apologises to all those connected with Liverpool Football Club.”
It would be a shame if a sourness were allowed to creep in, for this has become a rivalry every bit as gripping as Barcelona against Real Madrid was a decade or so ago, only focused on the football rather than mutual animosity and sniping between the camps. Liverpool has one cup already and is in another final. City has the advantage in the league. But the real finale could come in the Champions League final in Paris next month.
