The last day of the season is here, which means that this titanic tug of war between Manchester City and Liverpool is ready for the last battle.
They are two of the best teams the Premier League has ever seen and the table for the last four seasons highlights their exceptional standards – only one point separates the two countries at the time.
However, only one can lift this trophy on Sunday, however, and given that they have spent most of 2022 in first place, there is more pressure on City to finish the job.
Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa could head to the back line of Manchester City in a counterattack
Apart from Liverpool, only three teams have left the Etihad Stadium to show for this season: Southampton, Crystal Palace and Tottenham.
You are guaranteed to suffer without a ball when you face City. The guests who left the Etihad with the best results were determined, strong in their individual matches, defended themselves deeply, as if their lives depended on it, and hit City at the break with pace.
On Sunday, it is Villa’s turn to try to stop City, as one of Liverpool’s favorite sons in Steven Gerrard hopes he can do the best service to his former club by taking points from City.
City’s 4-3-3 system is similar to Liverpool’s in many ways, and after defeating Villa earlier this month, Jurgen Klopp may have sent a coded message to Gerard in his post-match interviews.
Klopp has repeatedly pointed out that Villa’s diamond shape has weaknesses that they use. He seemed to highlight these weaknesses in readiness for the next time Gerard faced a 4-3-3 system.
This will come on Sunday in the form of City.
Klopp said that Liverpool managed to take control of the match against Villa after “starting to play football”, which means that he passes the ball better.
When they began to do so, their full backs were able to rise high and wide, often without resistance, and this allowed Liverpool to begin to dominate the game.
In defense, one of the problems with Villa’s diamond system is that although it gives them bodies in the middle of the park, it can leave them wide open.
Jürgen Klopp stressed that the diamond shape of the Villa has weaknesses that can be exploited
Against Liverpool, the wonderful Nakamba was the sitting midfielder. In front of him, but narrow, were Douglas Lewis and John McGinn. Then on top of the diamond was Philippe Coutinho, playmaker of the striking pair of Danny Ings and Olli Watkins.
If Villa adopt the same system, City, who may be passing the ball even better than Liverpool, will establish control much earlier in the game.
Pep Guardiola would send his full back forward to create the chances they need to become champions – so it will be interesting to see if Gerard will take into account Klopp’s comments and make some tactical switch to fight with the broad players of City.
Villa will be encouraged by the performance of West Ham last weekend, which focused on the patched back line of City at the break.
Fernandinho was used as a makeshift center-back with Aymeric Laporte, and Jarod Bowen scored twice for West Ham, running deep runs to stand behind City. Bowen and Michael Antonio seemed a constant threat in this 2-2 draw, and Watkins and Ings Villa have the pace to do exactly what West Ham did.
Gerard had to make a tactical change to limit the threat from Pep Guardiola’s team
It will be impossible for City and Liverpool to ignore what is happening in the other match
This is expected to be a special finale of the season – full of action in the afternoon, in which every moment of drama will be intensified in every other stadium.
It will be impossible for the players of City and Liverpool to ignore what is happening in the other match, because they will hear it from their supporters.
I myself was in this position – in 1999, when Arsenal missed the Premier League title by one point at Manchester United. United lost 1-0 to Tottenham at Old Trafford on the last day of this season, which gave us hope.
But in the end they won 2-1 to become champions, despite our 1-0 victory over Villa in Highbury.
This can be an incredibly emotional day to take part in – one of the twists and turns, happiness and heartache.
Only one from Manchester City or Liverpool will celebrate on Sunday night, while the other will be left to ponder how it is so close, but so far away, in another exciting season.
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