Manchester Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola described assembly Liverpool in his 1,000th sport as a supervisor as “the future of the universe” after their shared domination of English soccer lately.
The previous eight Premier League titles have gone to the 2 superpowers, with Metropolis claiming the crown six instances in that interval, together with a historic sequence of 4 in a row.
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Metropolis and Liverpool meet at Etihad Stadium on Sunday (16:30 GMT) with the chance that their Premier League future this season will likely be closely formed by the result.
So as to add a twist to the story, these two long-time Premier League pace-setters now kind a part of a chasing pack.
Arsenal have had their noses pressed towards the window within the face of Metropolis and Liverpool’s superiority lately however, for now at the least, the Gunners are the hunted reasonably than the hunters.
Mikel Arteta’s league leaders might have been 9 factors away from Pep Guardiola’s facet and 10 forward of Liverpool had they not dropped two late factors at Sunderland on Saturday evening, Brian Brobbey’s stoppage-time equaliser .
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Title margins in most up-to-date seasons have been so superb that had Arsenal received, the dropping workforce on Sunday, if there’s one, might have been left to replicate that the race was beginning to get away from them, even after solely 11 video games.
Now, the door is ajar.
Do Man Metropolis & Liverpool have contemporary hope?
Arsenal’s benefit was beginning to look extremely important till the 94th minute at Sunderland, as a result of something greater than a 10-point lead within the Premier League has solely been misplaced thrice.
It could have been too early to dismiss groups of the standard of Manchester Metropolis and Liverpool, particularly as each are displaying indicators of returning to their formidable greatest after stumbles earlier this season.
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Now, if something, Arsenal’s late concession on the Stadium of Gentle has upped the ante even additional earlier than this newest conflict between Metropolis and Liverpool.
In Liverpool, Guardiola has the one opponent he has discovered it troublesome to grasp – first beneath Jurgen Klopp after which Arne Slot, whose title winners did the double over him final season.
Guardiola has managed Metropolis in 18 Premier League video games towards Liverpool, profitable solely 5, drawing seven and dropping six. In all competitions he has performed 24, received six, drawn eight and misplaced 10.
The previous Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss is aware of what’s using on the most recent confrontation, with Arsenal’s excellence including to the strain.
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Guardiola mirrored on the chase that Metropolis face, saying: “At all times you count on that you would be able to be higher and they’re going to drop factors. All we are able to do is win our video games and get nearer.”
Dominik Szoboszlai has been excellent as Liverpool’s kind has picked up with wins towards Aston Villa and Actual Madrid. [Reuters]
Guardiola knew Arsenal had been constructing a workforce able to chasing a championship. He’s ready to see whether or not they have the stamina to maintain up their quick begin.
“The final two or three years, after the method to rebuild the membership and the workforce, Arsenal are there. It’s distinctive what they’re doing for 2 or three seasons,” Guardiola stated.
“However it’s early November. No person wins the title in early November. You’ll be able to lose it – however no person wins it.
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“I understand how shortly issues change. One week in the past it was Liverpool ‘catastrophe, catastrophe’ and now they win two and it is ‘are they again to their greatest?’
“I am certain the managers take slightly bit extra perspective of the scenario.
“At all times in a season there are ups and down.”
Liverpool head coach Slot is equally satisfied there may be twists and turns within the title race, however the significance of this sport can’t be escaped or underestimated.
Slot stated: “In the intervening time, it isn’t about wanting on the league desk. It is simply attempting to win as many video games as you’ll be able to and provides your self one of the best place you’ll be able to.
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“However positively two excellent groups are going to play towards one another and what the longer term will convey, we are going to see.
“Our solely focus is ourselves. We now have to get constant enchancment, get gamers match after which see the place it results in.
“Metropolis is a sport by itself. Enjoying away from residence towards them is likely one of the most troublesome challenges we’ve got all through the season. These are the video games everybody appears ahead to.”
Slot’s return to his title-winning midfield of Ryan Gravenberch, Alex Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai has given Liverpool a extra acquainted, profitable look of their previous two video games towards Aston Villa and Actual Madrid, with Hungarian Szoboszlai a key determine.
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“Dominik has been excellent all through the season,” stated Slot, “however the final two video games introduced much more out of the workforce and him. I actually like his work with out the ball, however in these video games it was in all probability even above his personal excessive requirements.”
If Liverpool can win the midfield battle at Etihad Stadium, they’ll imagine they will flourish – however an enhancing Manchester Metropolis will really feel equally assured.
The stage is ready for the most recent titanic battle.
Can Haaland lastly dominate Van Dijk?
Erling Haaland scored his twenty seventh objective of the season for membership and nation in Metropolis’s 4-1 win towards his former membership Borussia Dortmund within the Champions League on Wednesday.
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It has been a exceptional run of kind, even by the requirements of arguably essentially the most lethal striker in world soccer.
The irresistible drive meets the immovable object when Haaland comes up towards Virgil van Dijk on Sunday. That is the non-public duel that can go a protracted method to deciding the future of the factors.
Norwegian Haaland will likely be decided to lastly finish his uncharacteristically detached document towards Liverpool’s Dutch captain.
Since becoming a member of Metropolis in July 2022, Haaland has began 5 video games towards Van Dijk and remains to be searching for his first win, with three defeats and two attracts. The Norwegian’s solely victory towards Liverpool got here within the League Cup fourth spherical in December 2022, when he scored in a 3-2 triumph, however Van Dijk didn’t play.
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Former Liverpool and England defender Stephen Warnock advised BBC Sport: “If you happen to search for key areas the place the sport will likely be received and misplaced, from Liverpool’s standpoint it is going to be stopping Haaland, however the important thing to that can all come from the midfield space, and stopping the balls by means of to him.
“Will probably be about whether or not Liverpool’s midfield can press Metropolis as onerous as they did Aston Villa and Actual Madrid.”
Manchester Metropolis’s Erling Haaland has been in unstoppable kind this season however has but to dominate Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk. [Reuters]
Warnock added: “A lot of any battle between Van Dijk and Haaland will depend upon the service Haaland will get, after which it is going to be between Van Dijk and [Ibrahima] Konate to cease him. It’s as much as Haaland who his foremost opponent will likely be, anyway. If he performs on Konate then there’s nothing Van Dijk can do, and vice versa.
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“The principle factor Liverpool must do is attempt to cease the passes at supply and stop the balls being performed into him. Will probably be right down to Liverpool’s midfielders to stop Metropolis’s artistic gamers choosing their heads up, like Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki had been doing towards Bournemouth final weekend, and enjoying these passes.”
Former England striker Chris Sutton believes private delight will even gasoline the confrontation between Haaland and Van Dijk.
“Will probably be fascinating,” says Sutton. “Van Dijk could have that sort of delight the place he will likely be decided to get the higher of Haaland, as a result of Liverpool’s backline has are available for lots of criticism.
“After all, Liverpool are able to maintaining Haaland quiet – they simply did the identical to a Actual Madrid frontline together with Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior – however I’d take Haaland over any of their attackers in the intervening time, so that is the final word take a look at for Van Dijk.”