Manchester City have never enjoyed trips to Anfield, and Pep Guardiola has found Liverpool an increasingly difficult challenge.
Jurgen Klopp's side booted the Blues out of the Champions League last season and this year threaten to take their Premier League crown as they look set for a mammoth points tally.
That relentless drive, though, can help City's European ambitions this time round.
It was 12 months ago that Guardiola's side were thrashed 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. Before the second leg, they had the chance to beat the record of biggest rivals United for the quickest title win when they hosted the Manchester derby, but so far ahead were they in the league and so strong the desire to progress in Europe that a weakened team was put out for what is usually one of the biggest fixtures.
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An XI without Kyle Walker, Aymeric Laporte, Kevin De Bruyne, and Sergio Aguero could have should have won the game but - with no real pressure on them - they fell apart in the second half. Three days later, they lost to Liverpool again to complete a miserable treble in what was an otherwise wonderful season.
This time, precisely because of Liverpool, there can be no prioritising - particularly after Tottenham's victory in the first leg.
City have to turn up and beat Crystal Palace to avoid boosting the league leaders ahead of their home game with Chelsea. With Spurs and United up immediately after the Champions League second leg, failure to get three points at Selhurst Park would pile the pressure on a game that the reigning champions are already playing catch-up in for at least the next three fixtures.
Last season they came close to rocking Klopp's men at the Etihad but the belief drained in the second half following the disallowed goal and Guardiola's sending off. This year after consecutive defeats to Leicester and Crystal Palace there were more signs of vulnerability when they then travelled to Southampton - perhaps if they had come up against stronger opposition it may have been three winless games.
By pushing so hard and for so long in this riveting Premier League campaign, Liverpool should have helped out their title rivals by making sure they are immediately back in the groove, consigning Tuesday night as a temporary blip rather than the beginning of the end for their two biggest hopes.
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