If you walked into a pub five years ago and said that a Liverpool v Manchester City match would feel like anything other than a title decider, people would have laughed you out of the room. This was the heavyweight clash of our generation. It was Pep vs. Klopp. It was heavy metal football against a relentless, blue-clad chess machine. But looking at the table in early 2026, things feel... different. Honestly, kind of weird.
Liverpool are currently sitting in fourth place with 35 points after 21 games. They’re trailing Arsenal by 14 points. City are in second, tied with Aston Villa on 43 points, desperately trying to hunt down Mikel Arteta's Gunners. The "Big Two" era hasn't died, but it’s definitely evolved into something more chaotic and less predictable.
When Manchester City dismantled Liverpool 3-0 back in November 2025, it wasn't just another win. It was Pep Guardiola’s 1,000th game as a manager. A landmark. He celebrated by absolutely schooling Arne Slot in a tactical clinic that left the Anfield faithful scratching their heads.
The Slot vs. Pep Chess Match
Everyone wondered how Liverpool would handle life after Jürgen Klopp. Arne Slot hasn't been a disaster—far from it—but the transition has had some seriously bumpy patches. In that 3-0 loss at the Etihad, the tactical gap was massive.
City’s Jeremy Doku was a nightmare. He basically lived on the left wing, bamboozling Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate all afternoon. While Liverpool tried to stick to their 4-2-3-1, City used Nico O’Reilly and Phil Foden to create these weird, suffocating overloads in the middle of the pitch.
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Slot admitted it afterward. He was blunt. He said his tactics simply didn't work. Liverpool were constantly one or two players short in the engine room. When you're playing against a Pep team that moves the ball with that much "one-touch" arrogance, being a second late to every duel is a death sentence.
"It is easy for players to win their duels if the game plan and tactics are working... they were so much better on the ball than us," Slot told reporters after the match.
It’s a rare admission from a top-flight manager. Usually, they blame the grass or a gust of wind. But Slot saw what we all saw: a Liverpool side that looked a bit lost without the "chaos factor" that Klopp used to thrive on.
The 115 Charges Elephant in the Room
You can’t talk about Liverpool v Manchester City without mentioning the legal cloud. It’s been nearly three years since the Premier League hit City with those 115 (or 130, depending on who’s counting) financial charges.
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As of January 2026, we are still waiting.
It’s frustrating for everyone. Fans of other clubs feel like the league is dragging its feet. City fans feel like their achievements are being unfairly tarnished by a "guilty until proven innocent" narrative. The latest updates suggest a verdict might not arrive until later this year, with the independent commission reportedly reviewing a mountain of "irrefutable evidence."
Pep is clearly tired of it. When asked about the delay recently, he just quipped, "They must be so busy." It’s a shadow that hangs over every trophy they lift. If they beat Arsenal to the title this season, will people count it? Or will they just point to the spreadsheets?
Why the Rivalry Still Matters
Despite the gap in the table and the legal drama, this fixture is still the one you circle on the calendar. Why? Because the individual quality is still absurd.
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- Erling Haaland: Even when he’s "quiet," he’s a magnet for defenders. In the November clash, he missed a penalty but still grabbed a goal. You can't switch off for a second.
- Mohamed Salah: He’s still the heartbeat of this Liverpool team. Even in a 3-0 loss, he was one of the few players creating anything.
- The Tactical Evolution: Watching how Slot tries to bridge the gap in the return fixture at Anfield on February 8, 2026, will be fascinating. Will he go back to a more aggressive press, or try to out-possess the possession kings?
The dynamic has shifted from a two-horse race to a frantic scramble. Arsenal have a 86.98% chance of winning the league according to the latest Opta supercomputer projections. That’s a huge number. It means City and Liverpool are, for the first time in a long time, the hunters rather than the hunted.
What to Watch For Next
If you're following the title race or just checking in for the big games, keep an eye on these specific factors moving forward:
- The Anfield Factor: The return leg on February 8 is Liverpool’s chance to prove they aren't fading into a "top four only" team.
- Transfer Moves: City just picked up Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth to add more depth to their wings. How he fits into Pep's system could be the difference-maker in the final stretch.
- Fitness Levels: Liverpool’s 10-game unbeaten run leading into mid-January showed they have the grit, but they lack the clinical edge City possesses.
The Liverpool v Manchester City rivalry isn't dead—it's just entered a new, more complicated chapter. It's less about a straight fight for first and more about two giants trying to redefine themselves while a new king sits on the throne in North London.
To stay ahead of the curve, check the official Premier League injury reports 48 hours before the February kickoff, as the availability of key players like Virgil van Dijk and Kevin De Bruyne (who has been managed carefully this season) will shift the betting lines and tactical approaches significantly.