Tactics in football have always gone in cycles, certain systems and styles of play go in and out of fashion depending on whose winning. When Pep was manager at Barca it seemed like almost every major club in Europe was trying to copy the tika tika model, you saw Chelsea with Boas, Rodgers/Martinez in the premiership too, Bayern moved towards that style and eventually signed Pep then you have Chiellini saying "Guardiolaism destroyed a generation of defenders etc" the truth is Klopp's entire style of play was designed as a way to exploit the tika tika systems, high press/quick transitions and a midfield which can cover incredible amount of ground for counter pressing. Klopp has by far the best record of any coach vs Pep because a team who religiously tries to play the ball out of defence is incredibly vulnerable to teams who excel in pressing/transitioning.
That type of performance would convince most people that Liverpool are a match of City but it's only true in games vs them rather than over a season. When Liverpool play vs ordinary premier league opposition who have no intention of playing out of the back or rolling passes into dangerous CM areas they struggle badly, Henderson/Milner/Ox may be good for covering ground and breaking forward but when you're up against 11 men behind the ball and someone has to produce quality in tight spaces they're much less convincing. That's where having Silva/Sane/KDB comes in handy.
I have to admit that I'm pretty jealous of how Liverpool take on City and wish Mourinho would take a few notes from Klopps books.