Liverpool host Manchester City live on Sky Sports Premier League from 4.15pm on Sunday
Friday 5 October 2018 17:36, UK
Liverpool have beaten Manchester City three games running - but how did Jurgen Klopp's side do it? We check the stats...
The Reds host City live on Sky Sports Premier League on Sunday with recent head-to-head form on their side - but has Klopp discovered the formula to make it four in a row?
We look at how the teams set up in each fixture, average positions, activity on the pitch and statistical comparisons to discover how Liverpool achieved repeated success.
After Manchester City had exploited Sadio Mane's sending off at the Etihad to win 5-0 earlier in the season, Liverpool were out for revenge in the return fixture - and that proved to be the recipe for a thrilling seven-goal thriller at Anfield.
Both managers set up in their favoured 4-3-3 formations but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain set the tone with a penetrating dribble before unleashing a shot from outside the box that rifled past Ederson inside 10 minutes.
While Leroy Sane restored parity five minutes before the break with a powerful finish, bamboozling Loris Karius at his near post, Liverpool hit the front again in the second half, with Firmino out-muscling John Stones before deftly chipping his side ahead in the 59th minute.
Liverpool's third came from a trademark break, when Mohamed Salah pounced on a wayward Nicolas Otamendi pass and teed up a Mane rocket.
Then, Pep Guardiola's side were culpable of another error when Ederson's tame clearance fell straight to Salah mid-way inside City's half and the Egyptian lobbed City's stopper to establish a three-goal advantage.
Liverpool should have been home and hosed but their defensive frailties were exposed during a pulsating finish to the game, which saw City score twice in the final minutes, through Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogen - although a fourth was just out of their reach.
The graphic below shows how both sides' average positions were evenly distributed, with Kevin De Bruyne joining City's front three, mid-way inside Liverpool's half. City focused attacks down the right flank via Raheem Sterling (No 7) and Kyle Walker (No 2) - looking to exploit rampaging left-back Andy Robertson (No 26).
For Liverpool, Oxlade-Chamberlain (No 21) advanced beyond midfield and averaged in City's half, alongside the front three - with Salah (No 11) pushing furthest forward to harass Otamendi (No 30) - which reaped reward for the Reds' third goal.
The passing combinations above suggest Liverpool probed down the left of midfield, with Georginio Wijnaldum (No 5) and Emre Can (No 23) linking defence with attack - before switching to Salah territory down the right in the attacking third.
City dominated across a raft of stats on the day, but Liverpool recorded superior numbers for fast breaks, shots on target, tackles, chances created and touches in the opposition's box.
The sides met again three months later in the Champions League quarter-finals, and Guardiola deviated from his preferred 4-3-3 and set up in a 4-2-3-1. The change was in vain, though, as Liverpool produced a masterclass in how to beat City.
Klopp's side were ahead within 12 minutes after a customary fast break down the right was started and finished by Salah. Ten minutes later, Oxlade-Chamberlain trumped his rocket from the previous meeting with an outrageous thunderbolt, before Mane headed a third past Ederson before the break.
For City, remarkably, the graphic below shows how only two outfield players averaged in their own half during the game, with hotspots of touches in the centre circle.
Guardiola instructed his side to attack down the left flank in an attempt to expose Trent Alexander Arnold (No 66), resulting in half of City's attacks coming down that third of the pitch - with Sane (No 19) pinning back Dejan Lovren (No 6). But the youngster stood up to the test.
Liverpool's average positions remained strikingly similar to the previous meeting, with the exception of Oxlade-Chamberlain (No 21) and Salah (No 11) sitting slightly deeper.
The graphic also shows frequent passing combinations between Virgil van Dijk (No 4), Robertson (No 26), James Milner (No 7) and Mane (No 19), while Oxlade-Chamberlain and Alexander-Arnold also linked up down the right.
City dominated across the majority of stats, but, once again, Liverpool recorded more shots on target, fast breaks and tackles - in addition to attempting far more dribbles.
In desperate need of a big home win to overturn the first-leg deficit, Guardiola lined up in his third different formation in as many meetings with Liverpool, experimenting with an attacking 3-4-3 at the Etihad.
In contrast to the previous two games, Liverpool, looking to protect their advantage, were on the back foot for the majority of the game but stood firm to reach the semi-finals.
City drew first blood with just two minutes on the clock. The referee waved away claims for a free-kick after Raheem Sterling nudged Van Dijk, with Fernadinho feeding the England winger to assist Gabriel Jesus, whose finish ramped up the atmosphere as a famous comeback appeared to be on.
But Liverpool withstood the subsequent storm and were level early in the second half after Mane drove into a crowded box and Salah chipped the loose ball over City's scattered defence into an empty net.
Klopp's side recorded a third successive win over City, and a 5-1 aggregate scoreline in those fixtures, when Firmino pounced on Otamendi - who had dawdled on the ball in search of a short pass - and slotted the ball past Ederson.
In terms of tactics, City pushed even further up the pitch than they had in the first leg, with Otamendi being the only outfield player to clearly average in his own half.
Again, Guardiola instructed his side to focus attacks down the left flank through Aymeric Laporte (No 14), David Silva (No 21) and Sane (No 19) - while De Bruyne (No 17) dominated distribution from central midfield.
The graphic above reveals how City's advanced tactics suffocated Liverpool, restricting the Reds' passing combinations to a bare minimum - only Roberston (No 26) and Firmino (no 9) formed any notable link-up play.
As was the case in the previous two meetings, the Reds attempted to break down the right flank - with Sadio Mane (No 19) switching to the right behind Salah (No 11).
The stats bear out those positional and passing mismatches, with City equalling or surpassing Liverpool across every key stat - except, of course, goals.
With all three games combined, the graphic below reveals Liverpool's key statistical advantages were attempting more fast breaks and hitting more shots on target - in addition to narrowly recording more tackles.
Despite Liverpool's most dangerous asset being breaking quickly, the majority of their goals have come from periods of dominance in the game - with the exception of the second half in January's Premier League contest.
So, Liverpool are likely to stick to the same tactics and hit City with fast breaks, looking to eke out opportunities and shoot on sight - hounding Guardiola's side with tackles and interceptions in their trademark press.
Meanwhile, City are likely to try and replicate their performance from last time out and hope their efforts will reap reward with a more clinical edge in front of goal - but will Guardiola instruct his team to advance so far forward this time?
Watch Liverpool v Manchester City live on Sky Sports Premier League from 4.15pm
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