Liverpool v Man City: The Classic Battles Down the Years

Each of the four games between the two sides in the 2017/18 season were action-packed but, this one at Anfield really does go down as an all-time Premier League great.

Jurgen Klopp’s men played their first game since the £142m departure of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain took his chance to shine by netting past Ederson after nine minutes in front of the Kop. Leroy Sane pegged one back just before half-time for City, but it was the second half that really cemented this one as a classic.

Liverpool blew City away with three goals in nine second half minutes supplied by their famous trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino. Guardiola's men, at the time, were unbeaten in the league and on course to break all sorts of records, which made what happened next even more thrilling.

Despite the game seemingly wrapped up, a late rally from City inevitably came. Goals from Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan set up a nailbiting stoppage time for the Liverpool faithful but Klopp’s men managed to hold on despite a late Sergio Aguero header arrowing agonisingly past Loris Karius’s post in the last kick of the game.

Manchester City sent out a message of intent to the rest of the Premier League after thrashing Liverpool in their fourth game of the season at the Etihad.Despite City leading 1-0, the massive turning point in this encounter was the controversial red card on Sadio Mane for a high foot on the onrushing Ederson.

It did seem as there was no intention from Mnae to cause any danger, but there was clear contact and the red card appeal was later rejected. The second half was then all City with Gabriel Jesus adding bagging twice just as Leroy Sane did the same, compounding a miserable day for Liverpool in Manchester.

Liverpool may have ended Manchester City’s unbeaten start to the season in the 17/18 campaign, but City got their own back a year later in a vital win in one of the most pulsating title races in Premier League history. This game isn't just one of the biggest City-Liverpool clashes in history, but truthfully, one of the most famous games in Premier League history.

For City, the game was a must-win as they were seven points behind Liverpool in the table prior to the clash, with a win all but putting one hand on the trophy for the Reds.

The game was hotly anticipated and did not disappoint with an end-to-end game that was frantic from minute one and was ultimately won by such fine margins. After 19 minutes, John Stones somehow managed to avoid conceding a comical Ederson own goal as he struck the ball against his own keeper whilst attempting to clear his lines. Stones somehow kept the ball out by just 11mm.

An Aguero goal into the roof of the net from a tight angle on the 40-minute mark calmed City nerves and took them into the break with a lead. Liverpool came out fighting in the second half though and were rewarded with a goal from Firmino.

Sane would net the winner and this game would end up being the difference between the two sides, as City's 98 points tumped Liverpool's 97 at the end of the campaign and that Stones clearance at 11mm will proved just how insanely close these two teams have been in recent times.

This tie was the most anticipated UEFA Champions League clash between two English clubs since the 2008 final meeting of Chelsea and Manchester United in Moscow. The game was only months after the 4-3 Premier League classic previously mentioned adding to the excitement.

The first tie at Anfield finished 3-0 as Liverpool dominated the clash, particularly in the first half where the Reds hit City quick out of the traps with goals coming from Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Mane inside 31 minutes.

Liverpool would take a 3-0 lead to the Etihad, but with City being City, there was a feeling that the tie was not over. And, after Jesus scored within just two minutes, it seemed like mission impossible could happen.

The second half ultimately saw Liverpool run away with the tie though due to City committing bodies forward in an attempt to rescue the game. Salah delightfully chipped the ball over Nicolas Otamendi to put the game out of reach for City and then another came through Firmino who coolly slotted past Ederson to make it five for Liverpool on aggregate. The Reds would later go onto the lose in the final of to Real Madrid.

10 out of 10 Premier League wins for Liverpool with a victory over their bitter rivals at Anfield in 2014. Steven Gerrard with tears in his eyes. "We don't let this sleep," echoed the Liverpool captain to his men at a deafening Anfield.

Brendan Rodgers' men would go 2-0 inside the first half and it truly looked as if the first-ever Premier League title was heading to Merseyside. However, two goals in the first 20 minutes of the first half from City brought it back to 2-2, before Coutinho rifled home the winner on the 78th minute.

This was the game that started this famous new age of a Premier League rivalry back in April 2015. A win for the Reds took them to seven points clear of City, who had two games in hand, whilst it also notched them two clear of second-place Chelsea. However, the infamous 3-3 at Selhurst Park and the defeat to the Blues at Anfield meant that City finished top of the table and made Liverpool wait even longer for their first-ever Premier League title.

Coutinho's late winner that day now just feels like a distant memory and one which has a bitter taste to it for Liverpool fans.

By Harry Charlwood