Liverpool will face Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City for the 27th time when they meet in the FA Cup this weekend.
While we know it will be the last time Mohamed Salah plays in this fixture after announcing he will leave Anfield this summer, it could also be Guardiola’s last dance for City against Liverpool.
He arrived in the summer of 2016, the season after Jurgen Klopp took over from Brendan Rodgers, and tussles between City and Liverpool have defined the era.
City have won six Premier League titles since then and Liverpool two, suggesting a lopsided relationship, but their head-to-head record reveals how tightly fought their games have been, with Liverpool winning 10, City winning nine and seven ending in draws. In particular, the period between 2018 and 2022 saw these sides become arguably the world’s best.
The Athletic looked back at all 26 matches to rank them for quality, entertainment and significance.
26. Liverpool 0-0 City (Premier League: Oct 7, 2018)
A rare game where both sides were title contenders but both seemed happy with a point relatively early in the campaign. The search party remains out for Riyad Mahrez’s second-half penalty.
Riyad Mahrez blazes over from the penalty spot (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)
25. Liverpool 1-0 City (Premier League: Dec 31, 2016)
The first meeting between Guardiola and Klopp in the Premier League was relatively underwhelming. A Georginio Wijnaldum header after eight minutes settled a game where both teams were yet to become title contenders.
24. City 1-1 Liverpool (Premier League: Mar 19, 2017)
A contest that hinted at the type of entertainment this fixture would bring in the future, but both sides were still developing. Sergio Aguero’s instinctive finish cancelled out James Milner’s second-half penalty.
23. City 1-1 Liverpool (Premier League: Nov 8, 2020)
Played in front of a stadium without fans, due to Covid-19 regulations, in the rain. Far from a classic. Salah scored his penalty, Kevin De Bruyne didn’t, but he had some brilliance from Gabriel Jesus to thank for the equaliser.
22. City 3-2 Liverpool (Carabao Cup: Dec 22, 2022)
The only time Guardiola’s side have faced Liverpool in the Carabao Cup. A fourth-round tie and the first game back after the World Cup. It was an entertaining contest, but far from defining, with City knocked out in the next round by Southampton.
21. City 4-0 Liverpool (Premier League: July 2, 2020)
A dominant victory for City, although having sealed the title days earlier, this was not a Liverpool side at full strength physically or emotionally.
20. City 1-1 Liverpool (City won 5-4 on pens; Community Shield: August 4, 2019)
As a game that is primarily an extension of pre-season, it can’t be ranked highly. But it was still a watchable curtain-raiser and Kyle Walker’s stoppage-time goal-line clearance was exceptional.
19. Liverpool 3-1 City (Community Shield: July 30, 2022)
Darwin Nunez scored and Erling Haaland missed a sitter. Another Community Shield battle that did not offer a reliable guide to the season.
Erling Haaland did not hit the ground running for City in the 2022 Community Shield (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
18. Liverpool 1-0 City (Premier League: Oct 16, 2022)
Klopp’s side had only won two of their first eight league games, and City were yet to hit their stride. A forgettable contest that was decided by Alisson’s quick thinking, Joao Cancelo’s poor last-man defending and Salah’s cool finish.
17. City 4-1 Liverpool (Premier League: April 1, 2023)
A result that felt inevitable even when Salah gave Liverpool the lead. This was one of the poorest versions of a Klopp side and City made them pay with a dominant display as Julian Alvarez, De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish scored.
16. City 1-1 Liverpool (Premier League: Nov 25, 2023)
Klopp’s side were back looking like potential title challengers in 2023-24 when they travelled to table-topping City. There was more attrition than free flow and Guardiola’s side were largely dominant until Trent Alexander-Arnold struck with 10 minutes to go to steal a point.
15. Liverpool 1-1 City (Premier League: March 10, 2024)
The only season where both were involved in a three-way battle for the Premier League, this held plenty of importance. Jeremy Doku planting his studs into Alexis Mac Allister’s midriff in his own penalty area went without punishment. Liverpool fell away, City went on to lift the title. Who knows what impact that non-decision may have had?
14. City 5-0 Liverpool (Premier League: Sep 9, 2017)
This had been an entertaining end-to-end contest until Sadio Mane was sent off for a reckless challenge on Ederson. It was a procession for Guardiola’s side after that, similarly to the rest of the season, when they plundered 100 points.
13. City 3-0 Liverpool (Premier League: Nov 9, 2025)
Similar to the reverse fixture from the season before, Liverpool were vulnerable travelling to the Etihad and Guardiola’s side, led by Doku, overpowered their opponents with a dominant display. The controversial decision to rule out Virgil van Dijk’s header proved a key turning point.
Jeremy Doku tormented Liverpool in November (Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images)
12. Liverpool 2-0 City (Premier League: Dec 1, 2024)
Guardiola’s side were a wounded animal when they arrived at Anfield after a dreadful run of form. Liverpool smelled blood and could have ended the contest in the opening 20 minutes. It established Slot’s side as the team to beat for the rest of the campaign.
11. Liverpool 1-2 City (Premier League: Feb 8, 2026)
Guardiola’s first and potentially only victory at Anfield in front of fans. City dominated the first half, before Slot’s side came alive after the break and took the lead through Dominik Szoboszlai’s exceptional free kick with 15 minutes left. Defeat was transformed into a memorable victory within six minutes, as Bernardo Silva and Haaland netted late on to spark jubilant scenes in the blue corner of the Anfield Road end.
10. City 0-2 Liverpool (Premier League: Feb 23, 2025)
This could have been Liverpool’s most complete 90 minutes against Guardiola at the Etihad. Led by Salah and Szoboszlai, they counter-attacked to perfection and nullified a Haaland-less City side still developing their new identity.
9. Liverpool 1-4 City (Premier League: Feb 7, 2021)
Guardiola’s first win at Anfield, but nobody was there to see it – which was a relief for Alisson, who had a kicking meltdown. Liverpool had Jordan Henderson and Fabinho playing centre-back and their bid to retain their title had been floundering for some time. Gundogan, as he was so often, was in the right place at the right time to net twice, making up for his missed penalty.
Ilkay Gundogan was the difference in 2021 (Jon Super/AFP via Getty Images)
8. City 2-3 Liverpool (FA Cup: April 16, 2022)
This season’s FA Cup meeting will be the second in this competition after this semi-final at Wembley. Liverpool were irresistible in the first half, scoring three times, including Mane netting with a slide tackle on backup goalkeeper Zack Steffen. City made things uncomfortable with a goal at the start and the end of the second period but it wasn’t enough.
7. Liverpool 3-1 City (Premier League: Nov 10, 2019)
This was the moment Liverpool cemented themselves as title favourites. Victory gave them an eight-point lead after only 12 matches. Fabinho’s rocket, shortly after a City penalty appeal was waved away, was followed by a sensational team goal involving both full-backs and Salah in a blistering opening 15 minutes. It’s fair to say Pep “Twice, Twice” Guardiola was not happy.
Pep Guardiola and fresh-faced assistant Mikel Arteta show their frustration against Liverpool in November 2019 (Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images)
6. City 1-2 Liverpool (Champions League: Apr 10, 2018)
It’s still a mystery how City’s first-half onslaught only yielded Jesus’ second-minute goal. Klopp’s side eventually stabilised and Salah’s equaliser and subsequent celebration provided one of the defining images of the 33-year-old’s time at Anfield. Roberto Firmino then sealed Liverpool’s passage into the semi-finals late on.
Liverpool celebrate knocking City out of the Champions League in 2018 (Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
5. Liverpool 3-0 City (Champions League: Apr 4, 2018)
As the first 30 minutes of a big Champions League game go, this was as close to perfect as possible from Liverpool.
City had not learnt their lessons from the Premier League game at Anfield three months earlier and were caught up in a whirlwind as Liverpool scored three goals without reply.
When they were at their best during Klopp’s peak era, Liverpool were unplayable and unstoppable, particularly at Anfield, even for a Guardiola side that has been the most successful English club in the modern era.
They didn’t give opponents time to breathe, let alone think, and City were far from the only team who found themselves blown away in a cacophony of noise.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain helped Liverpool overwhelm City in April 2018 (Anthony Devlin / AFP via Getty Images)
4. City 2-2 Liverpool (Premier League: Apr 10, 2022)
This was a classic despite the huge springtime title stakes. As with the reverse fixture, City took the lead twice through De Bruyne’s deflected early strike and Jesus’ sharp finish but they were cancelled out by goals from Diogo Jota and Mane.
What made these games so special was that you could never take your eyes off them. In a split second, a player from either side could produce a piece of magic that changed the momentum. That applied to the managers, too, and the embrace between Guardiola and Klopp at full time summed it up.
The result was better for City as they had the points advantage heading into the final seven games of the campaign. They held on and lifted the title.
3. Liverpool 2-2 City (Premier League: Oct 3, 2021)
Another four-goal thriller, but arguably of even higher quality.
There were no goals in the opening hour but it had been an engaging and pulsating contest. City were the better side in the first half, but Liverpool countered in the second and Mane opened the scoring after a fabulous Salah pass.
Phil Foden, irresistible all afternoon, hit back with a powerful finish from a tight angle before Salah scored what was later named as the Premier League Goal of the Season when he slalomed through City’s defence and fired past Ederson. It was a goal that deserved to win the game but De Bruyne’s deflected effort made sure the points were shared.
It was total football, two teams playing their unique, entertaining style and pushing each other to another level.
2. Liverpool 4-3 City (Premier League: Jan 14, 2018)
The game that ignited a rivalry.
City arrived on Merseyside with an invincible season in the league still possible, but Guardiola and his side experienced the impact the Anfield atmosphere can have on a game and a visiting side.
After an enthralling first half where Leroy Sane cancelled out Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Liverpool took over and in nine minutes scored three times — one each for their front three of Firmino, Mane and Salah — leaving City completely shellshocked.
The match was epitomised by Andrew Robertson’s pressing, which brought the home support to their feet. This set the tone for what was to come: two teams who wanted to attack and play with an intensity and aggression that brought the best out of each other.
Liverpool had arrived at the top table.
1. City 2-1 Liverpool (Premier League: Jan 3, 2019)
Eleven millimetres. That’s how close the ball was to crossing the line when John Stones’ botched clearance hit his goalkeeper Ederson, with the defender recovering to stop a goal that could have changed the outcome of that season’s title race.
John Stones’ heroic goal-line clearance in 2019 (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
City pipped Liverpool to the trophy by one point and this was a game befitting of two teams that would end the campaign on 98 and 97 points. It was full of technical quality, intensity and aggression.
City were seven points behind Liverpool entering the fixture, so they needed three points and got them through strikes from Aguero and Sane. Liverpool’s goal was one of the best they have scored in their Premier League history. It was a flowing move that ended with Firmino heading in Robertson’s cushioned cross.
Often, top-of-the-table clashes can underwhelm, but this was a perfect example of two teams at their peak putting on a show.