A 4-0 humbling on their last trip to the Etihad wasn’t “the real Liverpool” but Sunday’s game with Manchester City is “almost” this season’s Premier League title decider.
That’s the verdict of a former Manchester City player who also faced the Reds in the heat of a Merseyside Derby battle.
The two clubs have dominated the Premier League in recent seasons.
Back in 2017/18, Pep Guardiola’s side set an English top flight all-time record points haul of 100 to finish 25 points clear of Jurgen Klopp’s men in fourth place.
However, just 12 months later, City, on 98 points, retained the crown with just a single point more than Liverpool after having to win all of their last 14 matches to pip the Reds, whose only Premier League defeat of the season was a 2-1 reversal at the Etihad on January 3.
Liverpool’s incredible form in 2019/20 – winning 26 of their first 27 matches – ultimately (after a coronavirus-induced hiatus) saw them clinch their first League Championship in 30 years with a record seven games to spare.
That ensured that the pressure was off for their most recent visit to City, who after granting the newly-crowned champions a ‘guard of honour’ as they took to the Etihad pitch, promptly put four goals past them with no reply.
Former Manchester City defender Richard Dunne, who played 352 games for them between 2000-09 after starting his career at Everton, reckons the destiny of the Premier League trophy this season could be largely shaped by the outcome of this weekend’s fixture between the sides.
The retired Republic of Ireland international, now 41, told Sky Sports : "It's huge. This game almost decides the season.
“The two teams haven't lost a lot of games over the last few years so they know that the importance of the three points in this one is massive.
“City go into it after beating Liverpool 4-0 last year but they'll know that wasn't the real Liverpool side, they'd already wrapped up the league by then.
“It's going to be very competitive. I think for City, and for Liverpool as well, they'll understand how big it is.
“They'll understand that everything up to now has sort of been a warm-up for this game.
“It's not just the result of one game this weekend, this could turn the championship and this could give you the belief to go on a run and try to build a lead, or for City to catch up with Liverpool.
“The players are going to be really up for it and looking forward to it. It's got the makings of a great game.”
