Liverpool is completely different to Arsenal - Man City star Bernardo Silva is spot on
Liverpool's Premier League rivalry with Manchester City in recent years has produced some of the most exciting title races to date - but it's ultimately led to the Reds falling short.
Despite finishing on 97 points (2018-19), 99 points (2019-20) and 92 points (2021-22) in three out of four seasons in recent years, Liverpool walked away with just one title. It looked as though that luck may turn during a three-horse title race last season, yet the Reds fell short once more after a drop-off towards the end of the campaign, even if they did still manage 82 points.
On each failed occasion, it would be Man City who pipped Liverpool to the Premier League title, a relentlessness that finally became too much for Jurgen Klopp and ultimately led to his decision to step down from managerial duties last season.
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But one thing the German can be proud of, and even Man City players have vouched for this, is that his Liverpool sides always went out to win. Famous for his attacking style of play, Klopp would never settle for anything less than three points.
In the last two seasons, Arsenal has taken over from Liverpool as City's main title challengers, yet when it comes to facing Pep Guardiola's outfit, has been criticized for its lack of intent to win - and instead settle for a draw.
Following Sunday's dramatic 2-2 stalemate between the two sides at the Etihad, City midfielder Bernardo Silva slammed the Gunners for its time wasting tactics and failure to "play football", claiming only one side had intentions of winning the game.
"There was only one team that came to play football," the Portuguese blasted. "The other came to play to the limits of what was possible to do and allowed by the referee, unfortunately. But at the end we got a draw, the best we could get considering the context of the last moments of the match.
"We're not happy as we wanted the three points, but personally I'm happy with the way we came to play and faced the game. I'm glad we always enter the pitch to try to win every match."
Silva was also asked about City's recent rivalries with Arsenal and Liverpool, where he gave an honest verdict on how the two sides differ in their approaches to the game - and how only one tries to win.
"Why is it different? I don't know. Maybe because Liverpool has already won a championship, Arsenal has not yet," Silva declared. "Liverpool also won a Champions League at the time, Arsenal has not yet.
"Now, from the point of view, Liverpool always played against us face to face, to win the games. The games against Arsenal have not been as our games against Liverpool were, and still are. So, maybe it's a different rivalry, yes."
According to the recent statistics, Silva is spot on with his verdict. Arsenal was slammed for simply playing for a point during the 0-0 stalemate at the Etihad in March, before doing its best to waste time in the dying embers of the game in Sunday's 2-2 draw.
Whenever the Reds have come to the blue half of Manchester, those same comments have never been made. Time wasting and settling for a point was never Klopp's style - even if it meant the Reds found themselves on the end of a few battering's.
Granted, Liverpool hasn't won a Premier League fixture at the Etihad since November 2015, with its last win there coming in the Champions League quarter-finals in 2018, but there has also been plenty of reward in the reverse fixtures at Anfield - along with Wembley for the FA Cup and the King Power Stadium for the Community Shield.
How Arne Slot's Liverpool will fare against the reigning champions is yet to be seen, although it can be sure that the Dutchman won't be heading to Manchester for just a point.