Empire of the Kop
·1 December 2024
Empire of the Kop
·1 December 2024
Pep Guardiola gave Liverpool and Manchester City fans several reminders of his prior dominance at the helm of the Etihad-based outfit in and around the full-time whistle at Anfield.
The Merseysiders continued their remarkable run of form at home and abroad (seven wins in a row since October 30) with a 2-0 win over the incumbent Premier League champions.
It was telling of the significance of the result that Arne Slot’s opposite number felt compelled to react quite petulantly to a tongue-in-cheek chant aimed in his direction in the dying stages of the tie.
(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Even taking into consideration the fact Guardiola has now lost six of his last seven games, it would be the height of insanity to suggest that the Spaniard’s role in Manchester is even slightly under threat.
It’s quite incredible then that the home fans’ chants of ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning’, really seemed to strike a nerve with the Man City boss.
The 53-year-old responded by holding up six fingers to the Main Stand (representing his six league titles won with the Sky Blues). Evidently, the moment of in-game banter must have really got under the manager’s skin given he was spotted replicating the gesture to the away support after the game had been wrapped up.
You can catch the clip below, courtesy of Viaplay:
Bigger points deficits have been overturned previously, but there’s no question City will leave Anfield feeling at least a little concerned about their chances of retaining the title.
Whilst the league hierarchy is perfectly capable of shifting dramatically, Liverpool have proven more than able to meet any hurdle thrown their way this term.
Consecutive wins against arguably Europe’s top two sides in Real Madrid and Manchester City shouldn’t be sniffed at.
It may be early days still for Arne Slot on the red half of Merseyside – but he’s more than backing up his desire to win immediately after his summer move from Feyenoord.
Dare we say that Pep Guardiola’s emotional reaction around the full-time whistle would support the growing feeling in the Premier League that the title could yet return to Anfield this term?
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