Man City's 115 charges could change everything for Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp

As arguably the two greatest coaches of the modern era, little hyperbole is needed when Jurgen Klopp meets Pep Guardiola.

But when the build-up to Liverpool's visit from Manchester City this weekend has been characterised by the sniping and swiping in the name of pre-match points scoring, then you might as well pour the petrol on the bonfire and let it all burn.

In truth, the increasingly bitter nature of the rivalry between the two fanbases has done a lot to drown out the technical and tactical excellence seen in the dugout between these pair of managerial titans in recent years.

But comments from Trent-Alexander Arnold, which emerged earlier this week, fanned the flames before Erling Haaland's right-to-reply stoked it all up even further.

Alexander-Arnold's claim that Liverpool successes essentially mean more to their fans than City's contained more than a kernel of what those of a Reds' perspective believe to be the truth, while Haaland's glib line about being able to celebrate last season's treble was entirely fair enough, for those of a Mancunian persuasion. Both have been playing to the gallery.

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This top-of-the-table clash didn't need hyping any further but the gloves will be off on Sunday afternoon at Anfield, despite the typically respectful pre-match exchanges between Klopp and Guardiola before kick-off.

That's kind of how it's been in this fixture in recent years: the two managers' stature, profile and high-strung brilliance have often been a subplot while everything around them has descended further into the chaos.

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