What Manchester City’s players really think of Liverpool as a football club now

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Tomorrow sees one of the best footballing rivalries of recent years renewed as Liverpool take on Manchester City.

Although not traditional rivals, the two teams have jostled for the title of the country’s best team over the past five years or so, with City often coming out on top.

Last year, Liverpool were miles from that. As Pep Guardiola’s side collected their third Premier League title in a row and a treble to boot, the Reds faced the miserable reality of a fifth-placed finish and a trophy-less campaign.

Despite that drop-off though, The Athletic claim that players in the Man City squad still view Liverpool as their ‘main rivals from a competitive standpoint.’

When players from either side meet off the pitch, it’s claimed that they ‘wind each other up a bit more than usual.’ Members of Guardiola’s playing staff are also said to see the Reds as the only side other than Brighton to come to the Etihad and play ‘on the front foot.’

From Liverpool’s point of view, it’s claimed that senior players have felt their rivalry with City ‘intensify’ since the 2018/19 season.

Liverpool still in City’s heads

In some ways, this mentality from the Man City players may actually be harmful to Liverpool’s chances tomorrow.

Having blown them away at the Etihad last year, perhaps Guardiola’s team would underestimate the threat posed by the Reds. They could let their guard down slightly, allowing Liverpool to capitalise.

However, Pep has been stung by Jurgen Klopp and his side too many times to let that happen.

After Liverpool’s impressive start to the season, it’s clear that they are back to being serious challengers. Or at least back to being competitive, anyway.

That will perhaps have focused the minds of the City players, who have become used to these epic tussles with Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and co.

Nevertheless, Liverpool’s record at the Etihad is pretty shambolic. It’s without question their worst ground to travel to, having failed to win at the stadium since November 2015. They’ve never beaten a Guardiola team on their own patch.

Tomorrow would be one heck of a time to end that slide, and to let City’s players know that they’re right to be wary of Liverpool.

Let’s go, Reds!