Rewind a month and Liverpool and Manchester City limped in to the last international break in a state of shock.
Jurgen Klopp's side had become the first reigning champions since 1953 to ship seven goals in a game. A week earlier, for the first time in his 686 games in management, a Pep Guardiola team had let in five.
At that stage, the meeting of the last two champions loomed large on the horizon. Given the defensive issues of both sides, it was tempting to wonder if it might bring a result seemingly plucked from the 1930s, a 5-4 or a 5-5.
Instead, Sunday's meeting brought a mere five shots on target and the altogether less spectacular scoreline of 1-1. Klopp had surprised with his boldness by including both Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota and playing 4-2-4 but noted with satisfaction afterwards that City had never had fewer attempts on target – two – in any of his meetings with Guardiola's side.
It is a tale of two defences, ones with different dynamics. City’s 5-2 loss to Leicester occurred without Aymeric Laporte and before Ruben Dias had joined. They have only conceded four goals in nine subsequent games. With Laporte and Dias paired, they have only been breached twice and just once in open play. If City had a soft underbelly at times last season, in Laporte’s extended absence and after Vincent Kompany’s departure, it is altogether firmer now.
Whereas Dias has made an immediate impact – perhaps the most auspicious start of any City signing since Sergio Aguero – a compatriot took longer to settle. If much of Joao Cancelo’s debut year in Manchester was underwhelming, the Portuguese has emerged as City’s premier left-back, being both defensively secure and a threat going forward. It feels an unexpected boon for one signed largely as a right-back, but he prospered against Jota.
"He played exceptionally, with the ball and without the ball. He is a special talent," Guardiola said. "Defensively sometimes he needs to be consistent but when he is consistent, his focus is fantastic.”
For the first time in 18 months, it feels as if he has a unit at the back. “We have a very good defence,” said midfielder Rodri.
If Liverpool and City have spent the last couple of years trying to emulate each other, there is an unwanted parallel in the predicament the Merseysiders face. City lost Laporte and then their title last season and Virgil van Dijk’s campaign was probably curtailed after 11 minutes against Everton.
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Manchester City v Liverpool player ratings
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Their subsequent solidity has been most apparent in the Champions League, where they are yet to concede, but they have navigated their way through domestic games only giving up a goal each time.
“I think when we started getting some injuries and lost a couple of players with Covid-19 and stuff, everyone expected the wheels to fall off,” said left-back Andrew Robertson. That has not been the case. Liverpool have improvised. Fabinho excelled as a stand-in centre-back before getting injured. The rookies Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips have stood up. Sunday featured a partnership of the only two fit senior centre-backs left, in Joel Matip and Joe Gomez.
The unknown element is that each has produced the best form of his career when operating in Van Dijk’s slipstream. Neither has had to be the defensive leader since the Dutchman’s arrival. Gomez’s fine form is especially welcome given both Matip’s injury record and the fact that Englishman has slotted into Van Dijk’s usual role as the left-sided centre-back.
“We’ve managed to steady the ship a little bit,” added Robertson. And while they were defined by devastating attacking, defensive steadiness has been welcome for two clubs rocked by improbable defeats.
