In the run-up to last Sunday’s Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City, Jurgen Klopp compared the ongoing competition between the two clubs to another famous rivalry.
“I think Nadal and Federer enjoyed the rivalry they had,” the Liverpool manager said. “That’s how it is in sport. I wouldn’t say I’m thankful City is that good, but it didn’t harm our development.”
Tennis doesn’t allow for draws like soccer, of course, but the fact that three of the teams’ last four meetings resulted in a tied scoreline certainly hints at the evenness of the rivalry. (So does the fact that over the last four seasons, Pep Guardiola’s City has generated 339 points in league play to Liverpool’s 338.)
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A draw isn’t in play for the next matchup, however. Even if it takes extra time or a shootout, there will be a winner in Saturday’s FA Cup semifinal (stream LIVE Saturday 10:30 am ET on ESPN+) between the two English giants at Wembley. It is their second matchup in a week — the two teams drew 2-2 at the Etihad on Sunday — and their third of what could be four this season if the clubs both reach the Champions League final. But as “Klopp-Guardiola Week” draws to a close, now’s a good time to look back at how Liverpool-City matches tend to play out statistically. What tends to make the difference (when anything makes a difference at all)?
The Premier League’s version of Federer vs. Nadal? Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have certainly served up some classics in the Liverpool-Manchester City rivalry. Michael Regan/Getty Images
When Guardiola took over Bayern Munich in 2013-14, the biggest hurdle he and his team had to clear was Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund. The combination of their willingness to suffer and their exploding counter-attacks were confounding to Guardiola early in their rivalry. BVB would win three of their first five battles with…
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