Pep Guardiola warned his Manchester City players that he would be keeping 'notes' on anyone not brave enough to ‘take the ball’ ahead of their crucial Premier League game at Anfield last October.
City came to Merseyside at the end of a vital eight-day period in which they faced Chelsea and the Reds either side of a Champions League group stage fixture at Paris Saint-Germain. Jurgen Klopp’s side at the time were unbeaten across all competitions and had just thumped FC Porto 5-1 in their own European clash.
And the Catalan manager made a point in training, as shown in the club’s new documentary, that he would not accept his players going missing under the raucous Anfield atmosphere.
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"We finish a group of games that you were honestly and you know that in all games exceptional," he said in 'Together: Champions Again!’. "Today is a game like they demand for the way they play the maximum with the ball and without the ball.
"If you are not aggressive with the duels like you have done against Chelsea and in Paris there is no chance. You have to know it. There was one thing I didn't like in Paris. Just one. After 2-0, we forget to do what we have to do.
"I know guys. In this stadium, I know especially the guys who want the ball and who doesn't take the ball. And I will take a note, eh? Here in this stadium we have to improve. 90 minutes, 95 minutes. 95 minutes, 95 minutes. The strategies. The plan. We follow them convinced. The personality, what you have done all the time this season so far in every single day."
The eventual Premier League champions twice came back at Anfield on that Sunday, with equalisers from Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne cancelling out strikes from Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah - all of which came in an enthralling second half.
Guardiola’s prophecy of a hostile feeling was vindicated, with Salah’s silky footwork and finish for Liverpool's second sending the Kop into ecstasy, but his player’s stood up and twice fought back to earn what would end up a vital point.
*Manchester City’s documentary, ‘Together: Champions Again!’ is available on City+.
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