The rivalry between Manchester City and Liverpool reaches a new peak this Sunday as the two Premier League titans prepare to meet at Anfield. While historical records often cast Liverpool as the dominant side, recent form presents a different narrative. Manchester City, currently managing intense scrutiny regarding serious financial breach allegations, enter the weekend leading the league table with 15 points. In contrast, Liverpool sit in sixth position, trailing the leaders by six points. Drilling the ball into the bottom corner as Anfield went wild for the ‘Little Magician’, coutinho pounced on a loose clearance by City’s Vincent Kompany in the box.
Sunday’s encounter marks the 202nd competitive fixture between the two clubs. Historically, Liverpool have secured 95 victories compared to City’s 53 wins, with 53 matches ending in a draw. Ahead of the clash, we look back at five iconic matches that defined this modern era of English football. With Liverpool firmly leading the head-to-head with 95 victories, while City have won 53 matches with 53 drawn, sunday’s match will be the 202nd fixture between the teams across all competitions. Looks back at the top five clashes over the years, as Enzo Maresca faces off with Andoni Iraola this weekend.
The January 14, 2018, Premier League meeting stands as a classic seven-goal thriller. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain opened the scoring for Liverpool at Anfield before a devastating eight-minute second-half flurry from Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, and Mohamed Salah propelled the hosts to a 4-1 lead. Although Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan clawed two goals back for City in the final six minutes, Liverpool held on for a 4-3 victory, snapping City’s undefeated league run that season. Despite this setback, Pep Guardiola’s side eventually claimed the league title with a record-breaking 100 points, while Liverpool finished fourth. This game goes further back in history and it’s another laden with goals. This match goes back to the season that was the first to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A pivotal 3-2 victory for Liverpool on April 13, 2014, remains etched in the memories of the club’s faithful. Played on the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, the game saw a 10-man Liverpool side secure a vital win. Early strikes from Raheem Sterling and Martin Skrtel put the Reds ahead, and while City recovered through a David Silva effort and a Glen Johnson own goal, Philippe Coutinho’s 78th-minute strike sealed the win. Although that season concluded with Manchester City lifting the trophy by a two-point margin, the match solidified Liverpool’s status as genuine title contenders. A 10-man Liverpool side beat City 3-2 in a dramatic title-race clash, on the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster when 97 Liverpool supporters died. But City fought back through David Silva and a Glen Johnson own goal before Philippe Coutinho struck the winner for Liverpool 12 minutes from time, early goals by Raheem Sterling and Martin Skrtel put Liverpool in control.
Manchester City claimed a crucial result on January 3, 2019, winning 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium. Sergio Aguero provided the initial breakthrough before Roberto Firmino leveled the score. Leroy Sane eventually restored City’s lead in the 72nd minute, firing a low shot off the post after a swift counter-attack led by Sterling. This result served as Liverpool’s first league defeat of the season, ending a 20-game unbeaten streak and narrowing the gap at the top to four points—a lead City successfully overcame to secure the title by a single point.
The November 10, 2019, clash saw Liverpool dominate with a 3-1 victory. Goals from Fabinho, Salah, and Mane highlighted a clinical performance against the reigning champions. Fabinho’s spectacular 25-yard (23-meter) strike remains the most iconic moment of the fixture. This win extended Liverpool’s lead to eight points, acting as a turning point in their historic campaign as they ultimately ended a 30-year wait for the league title, finishing 18 points clear of second-placed City with 99 total points.
Finally, the 3-0 victory in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals on April 4, 2018, underlined Liverpool’s European prowess. Within the opening 30 minutes, Liverpool effectively neutralized City with goals from Salah, Mane, and a thunderous long-range strike from Oxlade-Chamberlain. This momentum helped drive Liverpool to the final of the competition, where they were eventually defeated by Real Madrid.
