Pep Guardiola’s presence on the touchline at Anfield on Sunday drew everyone’s attention, but he made sure that there would be no dramatic or exciting events. Manchester City expressed themselves mostly through their performance on the field, rather than through media statements or fan behavior.
This was intended to be the ultimate, intense culmination of Guardiola’s legendary rivalry with Jurgen Klopp. However, Guardiola established a subdued atmosphere for the event at his pre-match press conference and cordially greeted Klopp with a handshake before the start of the match. The City manager declined to provide further validation to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s remarks regarding the significance of Liverpool’s achievements compared to City’s trophy wins.
Considering Alexander-Arnold’s circumstances, it is plausible that he made the attention-grabbing comments prior to their recent publication. Moreover, it is possible that his intention was to motivate Liverpool fans for an important match. The notably inferior lineup of Liverpool underscored the importance of relying on their home advantage, commonly referred to as the ’12th man’, at Anfield to aid them in their match against City. It is commendable that they recognize the tremendous impact that playing on their home turf can have on their performance.
