Third Time's the Charm: What Happened the Last Two Times Liverpool and Manchester City Went Head-to-head in the Title Race?

Jurgen Klopp's shock announcement that he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the current campaign means that the 2023/24 title race will be the last one that sees the maverick German go head-to-head with Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

Since the former Borussia Dortmund boss arrived at Anfield, he has gone toe-to-toe with the Blues numerous times. He managed to give the club its first Premier League title in 30 years back in 2020 however, that was hardly a title race and more of a one-sided beating. 

With both clubs at the summit of the English top flight as the campaign reaches its business end, it looks like the rivalry will have one final heavyweight encounter before Klopp bows out. At the time of writing, the Merseysiders sit five points clear of their rivals from down the M62, who do have a game in hand. But what happened on the last two occasions where the sides battled it out for the crown? 

2018/19: A Tale of Two Titans

Liverpool went into the 2018/19 season with high hopes of ending their 29-year top-flight title drought, just as they harbour at present. Websites providing live sports with free bets in the UK have made the Reds 11/5 second favourites in their ongoing battle, and the same was the case five years ago, despite them just reaching the UEFA Champions League final. There, they were defeated 3-1 by a Gareth Bale-inspired Real Madrid but they looked like a genuine contender both domestically and in Europe. They beat Pep's City in the quarterfinals en route to the Kyiv and the Etihad club was keen to gain redemption, as well as maintain their stranglehold on the Premier League. 

Throughout the season, both teams showcased exceptional football, with the challengers accumulating a remarkable 97 points, the third-highest total in Premier League history. However, it incredibly was still not enough to usurp City, who pipped them to the post with 98 points, clinching the title on the final day with a 4-1 drubbing of Brighton at the AmEx. 

Key matches that season included City's narrow 2-1 victory over Liverpool in January, where Leroy Sane scored the decisive goal. This match proved pivotal, as it was the Reds' only loss of the season. For Liverpool, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk stood out, with Salah winning the Golden Boot and Van Dijk the PFA Player's Player of the Year.

2021/22: Déjà Vu

Three seasons later, the stage was set for another showdown. This time, both teams were neck and neck, with two 2-2 draws in their head-to-head encounters reflecting their evenly matched prowess. 

Sadio Mane emerged as Liverpool's talisman, scoring his 99th Premier League goal during the second clash with City. For City, Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden were key players, with De Bruyne's midfield mastery and Foden's attacking brilliance proving crucial in maintaining their slender lead. 

In a mirror of the 2018/19 season, City again clinched the title on the final day, leaving Liverpool in second place by just a point. The eventual champions faced Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa at the Etihad on that pivotal final day and with 15 minutes to go, they trailed 2-0 courtesy of a brace from former Liverpool man Philippe Coutinho. However, they found a way to win, netting three quick-fire goals to seal the title in dramatic fashion.