By David Pleat For The Daily Mail
Published: 22:31 GMT, 3 January 2019 | Updated: 22:31 GMT, 3 January 2019
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After all the expectation, hype and the sycophantic exchanges between the managers, the two highest-rated teams in the Premier League began at a frenetic pace at the Etihad.
City mirrored Liverpool’s system, playing 4-3-3 with Fernandinho at the base of the midfield while Liverpool played a flatter midfield trio.
But it was good to see both Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp stay true to their philosophies.
It was good to see both Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp stay true to their philosophies
Early on, Klopp took his place alone in the technical area whilst Guardiola, perhaps calmer, sat and discussed how the pattern of the game was developing with Mikel Arteta.
Both managers would have been impressed with the efforts of all of their players to make speedy recovery runs when possession was lost.
It made for an intense, competitive match. Guardiola would certainly have been happier at the
