MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 23: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool battles with Josko Gvardiol of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at Etihad Stadium on February 23, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
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Several rivalries have defined certain eras of the Premier League. There was the duel between Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger when Arsenal and Manchester United were the dominant duo at the top of English soccer. Ferguson also locked horns with Jose Mourinho, Kevin Keegan and others.
For a number of years, the rivalry between Manchester City and Liverpool was the most consequential. Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp might not have had the same animosity for each other that Ferguson and Wenger did, but their personal duel captivated fans and experts for a long time.
Liverpool’s German manager Jurgen Klopp embraces Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola at the end of the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on March 10, 2024. The Match ended in a draw at 1-1. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE)
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City will welcome Liverpool to the Etihad Stadium this weekend. Guardiola is still in place, but Klopp is no longer Liverpool manager. Arne Slot took over from the legendary German last year, guiding the Anfield club to the Premier League title in his first season in charge. Slot has kept Liverpool moving forward.
In terms of the rivalry between City and Liverpool, though, it’s difficult to know where the two teams stand in relation to each other. Is this still the biggest fixture in the Premier League? Is City versus Liverpool still English soccer’s defining rivalry with only one of Guardiola and Klopp at the helm?
Sunday’s match isn’t a title decider. If anything, it will be a test for both teams to prove they are capable of mounting a title challenge. Liverpool and Manchester City have suffered inconsistent seasons so far, leaving the door open for Arsenal to walk through as the Premier League’s early pace-setter.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 22: Erling Haaland of Manchester City clashes with Gabriel of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
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Arsenal’s rivalry with City is growing. The two teams clashed last season, culminating in two fiery league games which saw both sets of players square up. Add in the fact that Mikel Arteta is Guardiola’s former assistant and this could be where the Premier League’s next defining rivalry comes.
Right now, though, English soccer is in a transitional phase. City and Liverpool aren’t the ferocious forces they were a few seasons ago. Liverpool spent big in the summer transfer window, but hasn’t gelled yet. City, meanwhile, is rebuilding after the departure of veterans such as Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Kyle Walker.
If the rivalry between City and Liverpool transcends their managers, it will come through on Sunday. There is plenty on the line for both teams. Neither can afford a defeat. Tensions should be high. The muscle memory of previous battles could kick in. Liverpool and Manchester City’s rivalry could still define another era.