Liverpool vs. Man City: *Bumper* Post-Match Analysis

BOOOOOOOOOOM! (Sorry for the spoiler!)

Paul Tomkins, Andrew Beasley, Daniel Rhodes and other TTT regulars will give their thoughts on the match for 24 hours after the game, so the article received via email is unlikely to be the final version. There's statistics from the match and videos too.

Post-Match Thoughts

Paul Tomkins

Well, that was a mauling. People thrown to the lions have fared better than Man City at Anfield.

As I said before the game, Liverpool had lost to Nottingham Forest, so another top-six* team like Man City, albeit with fewer European crowns than Forest**, always had a puncher’s chance. This was a huge game for City in their aim to finish in the top four***.

(* Cheap shot; ** Another cheap shot; *** Third cheap shot.)

I never like it when things like “the title is already won” are trotted out.

Single results can change narratives, and can marginally change a league table. But they don’t alter the weight of evidence by more than a feather or two added to a scale.

That said, it’s a six-pointer when the difference can be five points, or eleven. And right now, it’s eleven ahead of them, and nine ahead of Chelsea and Arsenal, who share identical P, W, D, L, F, A, and thus GD records.

It’s only right to establish that, for the past several months across Premier League and Champions League formats, Liverpool are a significantly better team than Man City; and that both clubs have been without key players.

Or doesn’t the best goalkeeper in the world or the club’s best finisher, amongst others, count when it’s Liverpool? When he’s out, does Trent Alexander-Arnold not count? Now Ibou Konaté and Conor Bradley? Others out who are never mentioned?

The difference is Liverpool seem to play well, no matter who is in the team.

The data on the gulf is clear. Especially when it’s not just a case of destroying the cannon fodder.

Well, today Liverpool destroyed the cannon fodder as well.

The majority of my analysis and the analysis of the others follows for subscribers only, as does all commenting.