Premier League Gameweek 22

MackRobinson

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They usually outplay the other top teams, in fact they do that more often than Liverpool. For example, they have completely outplayed Tottenham earlier in the season, yet somehow Spurs managed to conjure two goals from zero chances. While vs Liverpool they miss open goals.

Not to mention City had a goal disallowed by a marginal call at the end of that game. The same type of call was interpreted differently and had them out of Europe months earlier, because the rules still had not been changed then. And it was against the very same Spurs, who conceded obligatory ridiculous goal at the beginning of the final, you guessed it, vs Liverpool.

As for City vs Liverpool matches. In the most recent one, City have a penalty call ignored, have players stop playing, and Liverpool scores a belter on the counter. City create more and have control for most of the match, but Liverpool score as soon as they cross the half. These are the margins in question.

These are not isolated examples. The same pattern usually repeats in other matches. I have recently compared Liverpool with Juventus of recent years, and someone also did on the other thread today. Same kind of plot armor in the league, even more ridiculous. There's a reason why bookies still have City as favourites in Europe over domestically "dominant" European champions. They're still a better football team.
I would also go as far as to say Liverpool more so ruthlessly exploits bad tactics and mistakes, while City more so exploits worse players/matchups. I think this is why City struggle with top sides but batter weaker teams and Liverpool seem to play up or down to their level of competition. Given City's squad, they are good bet to win most matchups.
 

Klopper76

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That's mainly down to the injury to Laporte. Would be like Liverpool losing Van Dijk all season.
Considering City’s financial strength they made a huge error not signing another CB. They went into the season with three recognised ones.

We’ve had longer term injuries to Fabinho, Chamberlain, Matip, Lovren, Alisson, Shaqiri, Milner & Keita. I get that it’s not Salah, Mane or Van Dijk but it has reduced our squad options during the season. I thought we were in trouble when Fabinho got injured but we’ve coped really well.
 

DAK222

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That's mainly down to the injury to Laporte. Would be like Liverpool losing Van Dijk all season.
Again, this supposed equivalence between Laporte and Van Dijk. The only similarity is that they are their respective teams' best defenders. Otherwise the impact they've had on their teams is hardly similar. Van Dijk helped turn Liverpool into title contenders and hasn't failed to make a CL final at Liverpool. City were winning the league in 17/18 regardless of Laporte signing and since he arrived he's been part of a defence that's shipped loads of goals at home in the CL. Yet Laporte missing from October to January is like Van Dijk missing the whole season.
 

Nou_Camp99

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Still think when both teams are at their very best, City are a good way better than Liverpool. They just haven't had the same luck and consistency this year. It happens.
 

diarm

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I wouldn't underestimate the effect losing Kompany has had on City either. It's incredibly difficult to maintain the incredible consistency and motivation week in, week out as City did in recent years and Liverpool have in the last two.

You do that by having great leaders in your squad who demand nothing less than perfection on the training ground, in the dressing room and on the field all the time. We had loads of them during Fergie's time and have none now. Chelsea had guys like Terry and Lampard when they were winning leagues, Arsenal the likes of Adams, Vieira and Henry. Liverpool now have Van Dijk, Henderson and Milner calling shots.

City had one of the best in Kompany and will still be coming to terms with filling the gap he left behind.
 

Klopper76

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6-0, very good display from City. Aguero is an amazing player. One of the greatest ever signings made in the Premier League.
 

Harry190

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Where did Villa find that left back? The number 30.

Can't be a pro footballer. No way.
 

padr81

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wtf are Villa doing there...

2 records for Sergio today, most hattricks in PL history and top foreign goalscorer of all time in English football.
 

MackRobinson

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wtf are Villa doing there...

2 records for Sergio today, most hattricks in PL history and top foreign goalscorer of all time in English football.
Foolishly started with playing 2 up top and Drinkwater and before they fix their mistake they were 3 down.
 

SmashedHombre

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I think this might be the worst performance I've seen all season. Villa are beyond hopeless.
 

Sandikan

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Still think when both teams are at their very best, City are a good way better than Liverpool. They just haven't had the same luck and consistency this year. It happens.
You only have to look at the midfields.
Liverpool have a functional midfield, City have pure class in there.

The attacks you could argue either way, same with the keeper. When Laporte is in there, he makes that defence good too, but that City midfield, and ability to utterly drill teams on song, shows they've really messed up this year.
 

padr81

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Lazy Gundogan doing typical lazy Gundogan things.
 

Harry190

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You only have to look at the midfields.
Liverpool have a functional midfield, City have pure class in there.

The attacks you could argue either way, same with the keeper. When Laporte is in there, he makes that defence good too, but that City midfield, and ability to utterly drill teams on song, shows they've really messed up this year.
The Liverpool keeper is comfortably better. He can actually use his arms and hands and not just his feet.
 

Leftback99

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Again, this supposed equivalence between Laporte and Van Dijk. The only similarity is that they are their respective teams' best defenders. Otherwise the impact they've had on their teams is hardly similar. Van Dijk helped turn Liverpool into title contenders and hasn't failed to make a CL final at Liverpool. City were winning the league in 17/18 regardless of Laporte signing and since he arrived he's been part of a defence that's shipped loads of goals at home in the CL. Yet Laporte missing from October to January is like Van Dijk missing the whole season.
He played 4 games this season. City conceded 1 more goal than Liverpool last season in the league.
 

Harry190

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Ederson isn't no slouch in those categories as well. I think you're thinking of Bravo
No. Ederson. He might be better at passing than Alisson but Alisson is much better at keeping the ball out of the net and controlling his space.
 

Righteous Steps

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You only have to look at the midfields.
Liverpool have a functional midfield, City have pure class in there.

The attacks you could argue either way, same with the keeper. When Laporte is in there, he makes that defence good too, but that City midfield, and ability to utterly drill teams on song, shows they've really messed up this year.
City’s midfield isn’t better. It contains a 34 year old David Silva, a Gundogan who has had the best of his mobility hampered by a career full of injuries and is also 30+ and a new midfielder to the league in Rodri who also has mobility problems, even though he is still very young.

De Bruyne is the only world class midfielder in that team, and possibly Bernardo Silva who has played the majority of games on the wing, it isn’t a better midfield than Liverpool’s, it’s one paced.
 

DoneDaDa

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Still think when both teams are at their very best, City are a good way better than Liverpool. They just haven't had the same luck and consistency this year. It happens.
City have better depth, but Liverpool XI is better imo
 

MackRobinson

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City’s midfield isn’t better. It contains a 34 year old David Silva, a Gundogan who has had the best of his mobility hampered by a career full of injuries and is also 30+ and a new midfielder to the league in Rodri who also has mobility problems, even though he is still very young.

De Bruyne is the only world class midfielder in that team, and possibly Bernardo Silva who has played the majority of games on the wing, it isn’t a better midfield than Liverpool’s, it’s one paced.
It's close but having KDB gives them an edge. However, Liverpool have amazing depth in their midfield and are more likely to put in a shift. Their respective midfields serve different functions so it's difficult to compare.
 

FootballHQ

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Could only stomach watching the first half, awful watch.

This could actually be the league cup final, I'd rather Leicester just dispatch us in the second leg tbh. The thought of any humiliation at Wembley after the Arsenal cup final is too much. Would be a better game for the neutral aswell.