Liverpool and Manchester City are taking their Premier League rivalry onto the European arena as they meet for the first time in international cup competition in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
Both City and Liverpool have also performed very well in Europe this season, easing past in the quarter-finals against FC Basel and FC Porto respectively. To get the latest odds on UEFA betting, you may check out CrownBet and see how this much anticipated match could possibly unfold.
The Reds’ last trophy was the League Cup in 2012, while their wait for Premier League title stretches back 28 years. But Klopp will be confident of facing league leaders City as he boasts of a history of succeeding against stronger and powerful opponents.
City, on the other hand, have been a team to watch this season. Pep Guardiola has transformed the club into a European juggernaut and with City a couple of wins away from wrapping up the Premier League title, the Spaniard will throw everything to defeat Liverpool and go one step further to claim the Champions League.
In this season’s Premier League, City crushed Liverpool 5-0 back in September last year. Sergio Aguero had given City the lead in the first-half and while Liverpool were in the game, a Sadio Mane red card following a high-boot challenge to goalkeeper Ederson opened the floodgates. Gabriel Jesus scored in either half before a Leroy Sane late double sunk the Reds with what turned out to be a forgettable day in office for Jurgen Klopp.
But Klopp avenged their 5-0 humbling with a 4-3 victory at Anfield in January this year that saw Guardiola’s City lose for the first time in the league this campaign. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain gave the Reds an early lead and, though Leroy Sane levelled shortly before half-time, three goals in quick succession in second half from Roberto Firmino, Mané and Mohamed Salah gave Liverpool a commanding lead. But credit to City for not giving up as Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan struck late to stage a grandstand finale. Somehow, Liverpool players held their nerves and emerged out with a thrilling 4-3 win at Anfield.
While Guardiola and Klopp have locked horns a number of times in the Bundesliga when they were coaches of Bayern and Dortmund respectively, they will cross paths for the first time when Liverpool will host City on April 4 before travelling to Etihad stadium for the return leg in a week’s time.
Prediction
First of all to start with, what a Champions League quarter-final tie we have got! Two teams with top quality players, super tacticians but the Premier League table tells a different story altogether. Of course, City have blown teams away in the league but their only blemish have come at Anfield, which makes the first leg a whole lot interesting.
It is tough to predict given both teams are in sensational form, amidst Liverpool’s blip earlier this month at Manchester United. Expecting a riveting battle over the two legs but Liverpool won’t fear City and Klopp will be confident to reproduce the same result that sunk Guardiola’s men in January at Anfield.
