Liverpool v Manchester City: The last 20 epic encounters - in pictures

Premier League heavyweights meet at Anfield on Sunday

Premier League, February 7, 2021: Liverpool 1 (Salah 63' pen) Manchester City 4 (Gundogan 49', 73', Sterling 76', Foden 83'. AFP

Premier League, November 8, 2020: Manchester City 1 (Jesus 31') Liverpool 1 (Salah 13' pen). AFP

Premier League, July 2, 2020: Manchester City 4 (De Bruyne 25' pen, Sterling 35', Foden 45', Oxlade-Chamberlain 66' og) Liverpool 0. PA

Premier League, November 10, 2019: Liverpool 3 (Fabinho 6', Salah 13', Mane 51') Manchester City 1 (Silva 78'). AFP

Community Shield, August 4, 2019: Manchester City 1 (Matip 77') Liverpool 1 (Sterling 12'). City won 5-4 on pens. AFP

Premier League, January 3, 2019: Manchester City 2 (Aguero 40', Sane 72') Liverpool 1 (Firmino 64'). AFP

Premier League, October 7, 2018: Liverpool 0 Manchester City 0. AFP

Champions League, April 10, 2018: Manchester City 1 (Jesus 2') Liverpool 2 (Salah 56', Firmino 57'). AFP

Champions League, April 4, 2018: Liverpool 3 (Salah 12', Oxlade-Chamberlain 20', Mane 31') Manchester City 0. Getty

Premier League, January 14, 2018: Liverpool 4 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 9', Firmino 59', Mane 61', Salah 68') Manchester City 3 (Sane 40', Bernardo Silva 84', Gündogan 90+1'). AFP

Premier League, September 9, 2017: Manchester City 5 (Aguero 24', Jesus 45', 53', Sane 77', 90+1') Liverpool 0. PA

Premier League, March 19, 2017: Manchester City 1 (Aguero 69') Liverpool 1 (Milner 51' pen). PA

Premier League, December 31, 2016: Liverpool 1 (Wijnaldum 8') Manchester City 0. Getty

Premier League, March 2, 2016: Liverpool 3 (Lallana 34', Milner 41', Firmino 57') Manchester City 0. Getty

League Cup, February 28, 2016: Liverpool 1 (Coutinho 83') Manchester City 1 (Fernandinho 49'). City won 3-1 on pens. PA

Premier League, November 21, 2015: Manchester City 1 (Aguero 44') Liverpool 4 (Mangala 7' og), Coutinho 23', Firmino 32', Skrtel 81'). PA

Premier League, March 1, 2015: Liverpool 2 (Henderson 11', Coutinho 75') Manchester City 1 (Dzeko 25'). PA

Premier League, August 25, 2014: Manchester City 3 (Jovetic 41', 44', Aguero 69') Liverpool 1 (Zabaleta 83' og). AFP

Premier League, April 13, 2014: Liverpool 3 (Sterling 6', Skrtel 26', Coutinho 78') Manchester City 2 (Silva 57', Johnson 62' og). Getty

Premier League, December 26, 2013: Manchester City 2 (Kompany 31', Negredo 45+1') Liverpool 1 (Coutinho 24'). AFP

Liverpool's unbeaten start to the Premier League campaign will be put to the test with the visit of defending champions Manchester City in one of the greatest rivalries in English football.

Liverpool came into the weekend in top spot and are the only team without a loss after the opening six games.

City complete a difficult week of away games that started with a win at Chelsea in the league and was followed by a loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Since City's resurgence in the Premier League, the two teams have won the last four Premier League titles between them - City leading 3-1 - and the Anfield result on Sunday could set the tone for this season's battle.

The intense rivalry extends to the two managers, with Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp and City's Pep Guardiola intent on getting the upper hand.

Klopp knows he has a tendency to annoy Guardiola but insists he does not do it deliberately.

There have been several spats between the two which have played out in the media, rather than personally, in the five years they have been Premier League opponents.

“Not sure if I ever told Pep but I like him, it’s true,” said the German ahead of their meeting on Sunday.

Liverpool 1 Manchester City 4: How the players rated last time out

LIVERPOOL RATINGS: Alisson Becker, 1 - Three mistakes in three minutes capped an awful display from the Brazilian and led to the second and third City goals. He might even have done better on the fourth. The goalkeeper has so often saved the team but he bears responsibility for this defeat. PA

Trent Alexander-Arnold, 3 - The 22-year-old was lively going forward but was let down by his defensive abilities. One of the reasons he has been able to thrive in the past three years is support from the midfield when the opposition have the ball. That was lacking against City and the Scouser was exposed. AFP

Fabinho, 4 - The Brazilian has coped manfully filling in at centre back but top-class teams like City spotlight his weaknesses in the position. He hung out a lazy leg to surrender a first-half penalty. Needs to be back in midfield. EPA

Jordan Henderson, 5 - The captain looked at his most comfortable when stepping forward into the central areas. The experiment of playing him in defence takes too much away from the midfield. Getty

Andrew Robertson, 4 - If Liverpool are to use their full backs as offensive weapons they need cover when they go forward. The Scot got little of it, especially in the second half, and had to restrict his runs forward. AFP

Georginio Wijnaldum, 4 - The Dutchman was the only one of the team’s title winning midfield trio operating in his natural position and he was left with too much ground to cover when City got on top. AFP

Thiago Alcantara, 3 - Another early booking hampered the 29-year-old. He does not fit into Liverpool’s scheme at the moment and slows the play down. His passing is superb but everything he does needs to be quicker. Replaced by Shaqiri with 22 minutes to go. EPA

Curtis Jones, 7 - The 20-year-old was surprisingly substituted for Milner in the 68th minute. He was one of the team’s more impressive operators and was always willing to run at the defence. He also tracked back, cutting out the threat when Foden was bearing down on Alisson in the second half. EPA

Mohamed Salah, 6 - The Egyptian forced Dias into a horrible error to earn his side’s penalty and dispatched the spot-kick with an assassin’s ease. He worked eagerly but was provided with scant opportunity. AP

Roberto Firmino , 4 - The Brazilian tested Ederson with a dangerous snapshot in the first half but faded badly after the break. It is not just poor form: he is another victim of the imbalance in the side. Reuters

Sadio Mane , 5 - The Senegalese might have done better with a first-half header and he pinned Cancelo back but he rarely worried City once they got on top in the second period. EPA

SUBS: Xherdan Shaqiri, 4 - Replaced Thiago in the 68th minute and arrived just in time to see the game disappear into the distance. There was little visible impact from the Swiss, either. EPA

James Milner, 5 - The 35-year-old joined the action with 22 minutes to go, replacing Jones. He launched himself into the fray against his former club but little of his contribution was creative. EPA

Kostas Tsimikas, 5 - Given his Premier League debut when Robertson was taken off with five minutes to go. At least the Greek will have a small cause for celebration. Reuters

MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Ederson, 6 - A little uncertain with his distribution but otherwise had few alarms. The Brazilian was hardly tested by Liverpool and had no chance with the penalty. EPA

Joao Cancelo, 6 - The Portuguese was watchful against the threat of Mane and held his own over the 90 minutes. He was comfortable in possession when Liverpool pressed. Getty

John Stones, 8 - The 26-year-old is growing into the centre back that he was expected to become. He was strong in his own area and not afraid to go forward. A commanding performance. PA

Ruben Dias, 5 - The 23-year-old played on the left, which exposes his weaker foot. He made a huge mistake and allowed Salah to earn a penalty, which gave Liverpool the chance to get back into the game. PA

Oleksandr Zinchenko, 6 - The Ukrainian was troubled by Salah but was productive going forward. He frequently supported Sterling and the pair were effective down the left flank. AFP

Rodri, 7 - There was lots to like about the Spaniard’s role deep in the City midfield. He was a calming influence and quick to the ball. The 24-year-old also had a good eye for generating attacks. EPA

Bernardo Silva, 7 - The Portuguese did not impose himself on the game as much as he might have liked but he showed his sharpness and quick thinking when lobbing the ball to Sterling for the third goal. EPA

Ilkay Gundogan, 7 - After missing a penalty in a substandard first half the German might have hidden in the second period. Instead he stepped up his game and scored twice to show his class. Reuters

Raheem Sterling, 9 - The winger was superb. His dribbling won a penalty and later led to the first goal. He capped off his return to Anfield by scoring for the first time against Liverpool since he left. Reuters

Riyad Mahrez, 5 - The winger never got into his stride out on the right in a tepid first half and lacked supply and support. He was replaced by Jesus with 18 minutes left. EPA

Phil Foden, 9 - The 20-year-old was marginalised before the break but blossomed in the second half. He played a part in the first goal, created the second and finished the scoring with a magnificent strike. A top-class performance. PA

SUB: Gabriel Jesus, 7 - The Brazilian was brought on for Mahrez with 18 minutes left and provided extra energy for the side. His pressing forced Alisson into an error before the second goal. Reuters

“From time to time I annoy him with things I say in press conferences that are not meant to say anything bad about him or Man City but then somebody on the City staff tells him that ‘Klopp said this or that’ and I can see in his press conference that he gets really angry. Sorry for that.

“I respect him a lot and I said it before – we think we know a lot about each other but we actually don’t.

“So during the game whatever he says and whatever I say … I want to win desperately, he wants to do that, and we are completely different personalities.

“But nonetheless I like him and I respect him and it’s really one of the biggest challenges for all managers in football to face his teams because they are good.

“If you make a mistake you get punished and that is pretty much the game against Man City always – so you had better not make a lot of mistakes.”

The history between the two clubs stretches back a long way, and the last 20 meetings are in the gallery above. To see the next image - and result - just swipe.