Darwin Núñez may have been the one to unleash chaos on Real Madrid in Liverpool’s Champions League midweek fixture, but it was his team-mate Luís Díaz who was selected to lead the line against Manchester City. The use of Díaz and Cody Gakpo at either centre-forward or left wing is one of the most patent markers of the difference between Jürgen Klopp and current boss Arne Slot. Slot has upended his predecessor’s interpretation of the pair, and for now, it seems that the Dutchman has nailed it more effectively than Klopp. Under the German, Gakpo was frequently criticised by fans for his sluggish performances at centre-forward, particularly after the 4-3 extra-time defeat to Manchester United in the FA Cup, when ex-Reds defender Jamie Carragher tweeted, “Gakpo plays like the game is in slow motion.” The role mastered by Robert Firmino was simply too difficult to replicate. On the other hand, Gakpo has consistently earned plaudits for his left-sided performances for the Netherlands, while Díaz recently scored a hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen in his most recent shift at centre-forward. 

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In keeping with the three-way rotation between Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, and Alexis Mac Allister, Szoboszlai took Jones’ place in the midfield. Slot may have recognised Manchester City’s susceptibility to pressure in counter-pressing scenarios, given Rodri’s absence, and thus prioritised Szoboszlai’s stamina and work rate over Jones’ deftness.  

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On the away team sheet, one of the most notable of Pep Guardiola’s decisions was the preference for Stefan Ortega over established goalkeeper Éderson, meaning both teams were to field their backup goalkeepers.  

 

Manchester City’s midfield cracks began to show right from the start. Ilkay Gündogan’s lethargy on the ball led to a break that released Gakpo into a clear path. However, the limitations of his weaker foot forced him to shift the ball onto his right, costing precious time, and the angle for the shot disappeared. Another wave of pressing led to a major chance for Szoboszlai. The absence of Rodri’s stabilising influence left City frequently under siege, resorting to long balls, ironically a trend to which Éderson may have been better suited.  

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It took only 11 minutes for the mounting pressure to be reflected on the scoreline—and it was a textbook Liverpool goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold launched a counter-attack with a magnificent, low-trajectory long ball into Mohamed Salah’s path, bringing him one-on-one with Manuel Akanji. Showing too much respect to the approaching Egyptian, Akanji backed off, allowing Salah to set up Gakpo for a tap-in.  

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The siege continued seamlessly after the goal. Bernardo Silva and Gündogan shine in the attacking third, but they were unable to dictate the tempo from deep. Phil Foden and Erling Haaland - sniper and goal poacher respectively - could not provide a release valve for the pressure either. The pair’s strengths tend to emerge only with a secure base behind them.  

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​Rodri’s unrivalled prowess has arguably been most evident during his absence. Great players without the highlights reels of strikers often find their true worth expressed in their counterfactual. Attackers can grab headlines through a singular sequence of actions, because this sport overemphasises the last link in the chain. Despite his Ballon d’Or coronation, Rodri has been undervalued in the past, as his swarm harmonising effect did not stand out due to his consistent presence in the line-up.  

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​Another distinction between Slot and Klopp is the former’s greater insistence on in-swinging corners. However, in this game, that tendency was relaxed. Right-footed Mac Allister, rather than left-footed Andrew Robertson, was assigned corner-taking duties from the right side. Modern football ensures that set pieces are meticulously engineered, and the strategy paid off. Two corners from the right led to two chances for Virgil Van Dijk, allowing him to finish the game with an expected goals tally higher than that of Haaland.

  

​To compensate for his team’s weakened midfield, Guardiola opted for stability at the expense of treachery on the flanks. Matheus Nunes and Rico Lewis started as wide midfielders instead of Jeremy Doku and Savinho. Unfortunately for City, this may have played into Liverpool’s setup. Robertson was guaranteed to start with Kostas Tsimikas unavailable, and the Scot has been caught flat-footed on several occasions this season. He had already conceded a penalty in each of the previous two games. However, Lewis’ right-footedness naturally limited the threat he posed from the right when cutting inside. Recall how Bukayo Saka outmanoeuvred Robertson for the opening goal in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool earlier this season. Lewis’ skill set—less focused on dribbling—was insufficient to fully exploit the ageing full-back. Unsurprisingly, City’s first shot came only after 38 minutes, as Robertson defended too passively against Lewis.  

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​Rodri’s absence inclined Manchester City to employ a more substantial rest defence and to exercise greater caution when they had the ball. There was a lack of runners to exploit in attacking situations, compounded by the absence of natural wingers for most of the game.  

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​Before the hour mark, Doku and Savinho replaced Nunes and the ineffective Gündogan. By the 70th minute, Liverpool had accumulated ten times the expected goals tally of Manchester City, yet they failed to extend their lead. Manchester City’s attacks became largely channelled through Doku on the left, lacking ideas elsewhere. Slot responded by deploying Jarell Quansah at right-back.  

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​City applied good pressure for a sustained period, but their efforts unravelled after a collective defensive implosion that felt inevitable. It may have appeared a singularly poor, unlucky moment, but more likely, such an error had been simmering beneath the surface—a symptom of a team that had recently lost 4-0 and squandered a 3-0 lead earlier in the week against PSV. Akanji’s header found Rúben Dias, who was harried aggressively by the freshly introduced Núñez. Dias misjudged the situation, assuming Núñez would overcommit, but the ball broke loose, and Ortega, like Éderson at Anfield last season, was just too late, conceding a penalty, which was duly converted by Salah. 

 

​This match marked the sixth consecutive game in which Pep Guardiola’s team has lost on expected goals. The manager has been ridiculed on social media for his exasperated gestures during this poor spell. However, this is merely another ephemeral media trend. Guardiola has won the league on expected points in all eight of his seasons at Manchester City. And Pep knows the game. Superstar manager like him do not just serve coaching and tactical functions for the club – tacitly or not, he knows that attracting attention also falls within his remit.