By Wanga Charma
Liverpool host Manchester City on Sunday in the latest rendition of the fiercest Premier League derby of the last decade.
However, this particular fixture carries a heavier narrative weight than usual given City’s recent cheating convictions.
The history
Liverpool vs Man City has become one of the most highly anticipated and exciting club derbies, second only to El Clásico, in recent memory.
While City are the dominant force in the affair with six Premier League titles, eight domestic trophies and a Champions League to their name, Liverpool hold two Premier League titles, four domestic cups and a European title of their own.
Now, trophies are undoubtedly paramount and the single best marker of an outstanding team and season, but the on-the-pitch performances and clash of footballing ideologies we have witnessed between these two sides has been absolutely incredible.
Both teams have produced some of the greatest showcases of football the Premier League has ever seen – under the tutelage of two of the greatest managers in the world at the time.
Indeed, each meeting is a pending football classic.
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The present
Those beautiful footballing memories have now been sullied by the charges and convictions pinned against Man City.
The Citizens have been accused of inflating their revenue records by over £800 million, which allowed them a larger spending margin in transfer windows to build the machine the world has come to admire.
While their punishment is yet to be decided and the entire footballing world sits in anticipation, Liverpool await their visit.
The Reds have been dubbed “the biggest losers” of this entire City debacle by club legend Jamie Carragher – and despite his obvious Liverpool bias, it’s hard not to agree with the sentiment.
Throughout the period under scrutiny, Liverpool were typically the runners-up when City were crowned league champions.
Most infamously, Liverpool’s 97-point 2018/19 season, when they lost just one game the entire campaign, ultimately proved not enough.
Feeling rightfully hard done by when it comes to City’s cheating, Liverpool will carry the responsibility of delivering their own footballing retribution on Sunday.
However, given both teams’ form heading into the game, it may be a lot tougher to call.
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Match insight
Liverpool currently sit sixth and are unbeaten this season, having won two of their last three league fixtures.
With Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz finding their feet and form over the international break and Liverpool catching stride as a team under Andoni Iraola, they will be fired up to absolutely obliterate Man City for the years of memories and trophies they have missed.
At Anfield no less, this will be nothing short of electric.
City, on the other hand, are top of the league and similarly undefeated, but they come in as public enemy number one.
Despite the ruling, it seems the City camp is not devoid of confidence and will let its football do the talking.
After an incredibly long 16-day international break and no shortage of high-profile news, the Premier League is back.
Will Man City be able to hold their nerve and stand their ground at the top of the table or will Liverpool exact justice and restore honour to the footballing world?
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