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Man City-Liverpool Could Go Long Way toward Deciding Champ

Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Liverpool - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - April 1, 2023 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola with Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Liverpool - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - April 1, 2023 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola with Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp before the match. (Reuters)
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Man City-Liverpool Could Go Long Way toward Deciding Champ

Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Liverpool - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - April 1, 2023 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola with Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Liverpool - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - April 1, 2023 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola with Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp before the match. (Reuters)

Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City visit Liverpool on Sunday in a match that is being billed as a potential title decider.

The truth is more convoluted. Entering the weekend, the top three teams in the league were separated by two points. Liverpool (19-2-6, 63 points) is a point up on City (19-3-5, 62), while Arsenal entered its Saturday matchup against Brentford two points back of the Reds.

The hype machine was in full gear ahead of the key Sunday match, and it was given more kindling after Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold asserted that the trophies Liverpool win "mean more" to City's squad do because of City's financial resources.

City's Erling Haaland and Ruben Dias are among those who responded to Alexander-Arnold, leaving both managers trying to lower the temperature on the fixture in what could be the final meeting between Liverpool's Juergen Klopp and City's Pep Guardiola.

The latter insisted his players -- who have won the last three Premier League titles -- didn't need to engage in the pregame chatter to preserve the club's dignity.

"They defend the club not by responding to this guy but what they have done for many years on the pitch every three days," Guardiola said. "I'm incredibly proud of what we have done and I don't need that to feel that my players are really trying to do it."

City are aiming to become the first-ever four-time repeat English league champions but have spent precious little time in the lead this season in part because of Liverpool's excellent campaign.

And while the Reds endured some key injuries in February, they appear to be getting closer to full health. Leading scorer Mo Salah was the latest to return to the squad, having made a late appearance off the bench on Thursday in a 5-1 win at Sparta Prague in the UEFA Europa League round of 16.

Meanwhile, City's star tandem of Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne are also in form. Haaland has scored in five of his last eight matches (10 goals total), and De Bruyne has assists in five of his past eight contests (nine total).

While Sunday's match is critical, the quality on both sides leaves Klopp believing a bad result for either side won't be fatal.

"If you go through all of the possible scenarios, I don't think after whatever result anybody should open the bottles of champagne," said Klopp, who is stepping down at the end of the season.

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Guardiola Hits 'Reset' with Man City Floundering in the Premier League

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola watches the play during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP)
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola watches the play during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP)
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Guardiola Hits 'Reset' with Man City Floundering in the Premier League

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola watches the play during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP)
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola watches the play during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP)

For Pep Guardiola, the season starts now.

Chastened. Relieved. Defiant. The Manchester City manager displayed a whole range of emotions after his latest ordeal at Anfield that plunged the out-of-sorts English champions to an unlikely low.

Make that seven matches without a win for a team which, not so long ago, never lost.

That’s all in the past for Guardiola, though, The AP reported.

“Reset,” he said after a 2-0 loss to Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday. “There’s a feeling we start from here this season.”

How he intends to move on from the worst run of results in his managerial career remains to be seen. But it all starts Wednesday with a home game against Nottingham Forest.

“We are not used to this,” Guardiola said. “Many, many things are happening. The teams are good and we can’t handle it right now. I have to find the solution to be stable and solid.

“These players gave me a chance to lead maybe the best years of my life. All I can do is find a solution — in the right moment, the club will make the decision what is needed for this club to continue to be there.”

Was he referring to making signings in the January transfer window? City’s fatigued and injury-ravaged squad sure needs some, especially in midfield.

Or was he referring to his own future? It’s not the first time in recent days that Guardiola brought up how fragile his position could quickly become if City keeps on losing.

Moments before walking down the tunnel after the final whistle at Anfield, Guardiola held up one outstretched hand and an extra finger as a retort to taunts by Liverpool fans. It was a nod to the six Premier League titles he has won in eight full seasons at City.

No. 7 doesn’t look likely this season. Not with City already 11 points behind Liverpool.

“Call me delusional or something like that,” Guardiola said, “but I have the feeling we will try to build back our confidence to win games.”

Indeed, Guardiola said he was taking some belief from recent training sessions. From the return to fitness of some players, such as Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku. Maybe from a second-half display against Liverpool that, while hardly vintage City, at least showed some spirit and resolve, even if Liverpool appeared happy to play on the break and never looked troubled.

It felt like Guardiola was relieved to come away from Anfield with the damage limited and City’s hardest fixture of the season out of the way.

Yet his comments will sound so hollow if City goes on to lose to — or even draw with — sixth-place Forest, which is only one point and one spot further back and has a manager in Nuno Espirito Santo who has enjoyed some surprise results at City with former club Wolverhampton. Forest also is the only team to beat Liverpool in 20 games this season.

“Let's not forget they are the champions,” Espirito Santo said of City, “the team that won so many (titles) with so many quality players. It's going to be very tough.

“We'll take what other opponents did right (against City) so we can do it again.”

Guardiola's masterplan might include a change of role for Grealish, who could yet play more centrally as a No. 10 rather than as a winger. Or a first start since September for Kevin De Bruyne, who has had to settle for cameo roles off the bench as he struggles to fully overcome a groin injury.

Getting some energy into his midfield will be important as the absence of Rodri and Mateo Kovacic continues to bite hard and be City's biggest issue. That might come in the form of a new signing next month, unless Guardiola is working on a new plan on the training ground.

A midweek victory for City, coupled with setbacks for Liverpool at Newcastle and Arsenal at home to Manchester United elsewhere Wednesday, could yet rekindle some belief that all is not lost this season.

On current form, this is unlikely.

“I think it’s almost a mini-crisis at Manchester City," said Jamie Carragher, a pundit for British broadcaster Sky Sports. "I think City might have a fight on their hands for top four.”