Pep Guardiola did the one thing he said he wouldn’t against Liverpool at Anfield
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If Manchester City can take any comfort from a wretched, chastening night at Anfield, it’s that victory will be made all the sweeter if they can somehow turn this quarter final tie around.
Pep Guardiola’s Champions League hopes hinge on the type of famous European night he is so determined to introduce to the Etihad.
They’re used to them in front of the Kop.
The game’s greats have fallen victim to the Anfield lights – be it Barcelona or Real Madrid – so in that sense City find themselves in good company after this 3-0 defeat.
Crucially, Guardiola has 90 minutes more to change the script.
To remind everyone what has made City English football’s pre-eminent force this season.
To remind them why Europe’s giants have looked on cautiously as his vision has taken such magnificent shape.
There was little sign of that on Merseyside – and it would do a disservice to Liverpool’s superiority in every department to put it down to the intimidating atmosphere.
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And that’s not ignoring the distasteful scenes as City’s bus pulled up along Anfield Road .
It would be too much, too, to suggest City’s players froze on the big occasion.
Man for man they were second best – and it is up to Guardiola to determine why.
His obsessive nature will lead him to question his own decision-making.
The biggest of all will be why he did the one thing he vowed he wouldn’t – change.
In the build up he conceded that City’s attacking ethos was perfect for Jurgen Klopp’s side, who are so deadly on the counter.
But their success – a 16-point lead in the Premier League and all – would convince him to stick to what had worked so far.
Yet in dropping Raheem Sterling for Ilkay Gundogan there was a concession from the Catalan.
A City team that had looked so fluid against Everton four days earlier, now haad an air of confusion.
Kevin de Bruyne found himself dropping progressively deeper in the first half, which is precisely where Liverpool would have wanted to see the brilliant Belgian.
Gundogan provided little in the way of pace or creative spark.
Gabriel Jesus was left to drift wide, leaving City without a focal-point, while David Silva and Fernandinho were part of a midfield that overrun.
It didn’t get any better at the back.
Aymeric Laporte couldn’t handle Mo Salah – and Nicolas Otamendi, who was shifted to the right of central defence, looked a shadow of the player he has been all season.
In all, City were run ragged – and over a 19-minute period in the first half, Liverpool threatened to kill off this tie as a contest as Guardiola’s champions-elect were swept up by a red tide.
Salah – who else? – opened the scoring after 12 minutes after a rapid break that looked to have been cut out when Roberto Firmino’s tame effort was blocked by Ederson.
But as the ball ran free to Salah, the outcome was inevitable as the Egyptian had time to pick his spot from six yards out.
Liverpool’s second, nine minutes later, was unstoppable – or was it?
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s long drive was thunderous, but it was at a good height for Ederson, who barely moved for it.
When Sadio Mane made it 3-1 after 31 minutes – heading home Salah’s cross from the right – it had all the hallmarks of Liverpool’s victory here over City in January.
The question was whether Guardiola’s side could mount a similar comeback – that Premier League fixture ending 4-3, following a late rally.
In truth, some sort of response was to be expected after the break – City could hardly have been any worse than in the first 45 minutes.
They improved – even dominating possession – but the sense was that Klopp’s priority had shifted to avoiding conceding an away goal, rather than extending Liverpool’s advantage.
The loss of Salah to a groin injury shortly after the restart also deprived them of their most lethal attacking force.
Still, it was the home side who came closest to finding the back of the net – and if Mane had converted from close range after 72 minutes, Liverpool’s place in the semi finals would be all but assured.
Instead, City head back to Etihad next week with the faintest of hopes of pulling off the greatest of escapes.
Source : Manchester Evening News
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