Liverpool Reveal Jurgen Klopp's Vision in 4-1 Defeat of Manchester City

ETIHAD STADIUM, Manchester — Manchester City had not come back from a three-goal deficit to secure victory since their FA Cup heroics against Tottenham Hotspur in 2004, with a Jonathan Macken header capping a remarkable turnaround for the Citizens. With Liverpool in sensational form as they went ahead by three goals in 32 minutes on Saturday evening, that miserable record ran on for Manuel Pellegrini's side.

An early own goal from Eliaquim Mangala was followed by strikes from effervescent attacking duo Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino, and while Sergio Aguero's sensational long-range strike gave City hope before half-time, a rare effort from Martin Skrtel put the tie to bed with nine minutes to spare.

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It was an outstanding team performance by the Reds, worthy of recognition as one of 2015/16's finest, and as he embraced his triumphant side after the final whistle, manager Jurgen Klopp will have been delighted with their collective output.

In the most unexpected of results, Liverpool looked to have realised Klopp's vision of football as they overwhelmed Pellegrini's side from start to finish.

Taking heart from this away victory, it looks like there is more to come from the German's new outfit.

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With star striker Daniel Sturridge returning to full training during the international break, the focus prior to kickoff was on Klopp's No. 15, with Paul Joyce of the Express suggesting the Liverpool manager could look to give the England man a starting role as he searched for an unlikely victory at the Etihad.

"Klopp has admitted he is tempted to pitch Daniel Sturridge straight back into action against Manchester City, but must consider the risk to the Liverpool striker's long-term fitness," Joyce wrote, fuelling speculation in the buildup to Saturday's clash.

Joining Sturridge as a potential starter was Christian Benteke, who despite enduring a muted spell with Belgium during the recent international break, seemed primed to continue his progress under Klopp with a role in the starting lineup.

But as teamsheets were released and selections scanned, Klopp revealed an unorthodox approach to building his attacking line, with £29 million summer signing Roberto Firmino fielded as a makeshift No. 9.

Firmino's inclusion as the attacking spearhead came within a fluid 4-3-3 formation, with Philippe Coutinho deployed in a floating role to his compatriot's left and Adam Lallana mirroring this on the right flank—their interchanging in these wide positions complemented Firmino's freedom to roam.

Supported by the marauding Emre Can and James Milner, who were given licence to push forward by a diligent Lucas Leiva—stationing himself at the base of the midfield—Klopp's forward triumvirate flooded the City back line.

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Pellegrini opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation, though hampered by fitness issues and injuries, with Vincent Kompany, David Silva and Samir Nasir all missing out and key components Nicolas Otamendi and Fernandinho named on the substitutes' bench after international duty in South America.

This left an unfamiliar centre-back pairing of Mangala and Martin Demichelis and the unwelcome sight of Yaya Toure fielded in a midfield two—leaving the hapless Fernando to pick up the slack—and though the attacking prowess of Aguero, along with the immensely talented Kevin De Bruyne, gave City a spark in the final third, this unbalanced setup saw Pellegrini's side doomed to failure.

Without a stable defensive core, City were easily overwhelmed by Klopp's attacking lineup, with the Chilean describing his evening "a complete disaster" when questioned by reporters after the final whistle. The majesty of Firmino, Lallana and Coutinho was at the heart of the Reds' success throughout.

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Klopp's appointment as Liverpool manager at the beginning of October kicked off intense scrutiny of the success of his former side, Borussia Dortmund, and in particular his footballing philosophy—known as gegenpressing—with the Guardian's Jonathan Wilson providing a nuanced overview:

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'The best moment to win the ball is immediately after your team just lost it,' Klopp has said. 'The opponent is still looking for orientation where to pass the ball. He will have taken his eyes off the game to make his tackle or interception and he will have expended energy. Both make him vulnerable.'

In itself, perhaps that is not a particularly revelatory insight; where Klopp—and Pep Guardiola, who was also a pioneer of gegenpressing—were innovative was in how they took advantage of that realisation, pushing high up the pitch and co-ordinating how the hunt for the ball was conducted.

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In Klopp's high-intensity system at Dortmund, the onus was placed primarily on his attackers—including the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Marco Reus, Shinji Kagawa, Mario Gotze and Jakub Blaszczykowski—to instigate the counter-press, pushing opposing defences back toward their goal, closing off angles for the pass and winning the ball back quickly and efficiently before prompting swift, devastating attacking moves.

This approach is, of course, far from revolutionary, with the memory of Ian Rush and his indefatigable work rate and commitment as Liverpool's No. 9 ingrained in the club's culture and resurrected following the signing of Luis Suarez in 2011, but in a modern era obsessed with possession, it proved deadly.

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Translating that to a Liverpool side devoid of identity, shredded by the desperate tactical ploys of Brendan Rodgers in his last 18 months at the helm, represented an unenviable task for Klopp, but the performances of Firmino, Lallana and Coutinho at the Etihad suggest it is possible.

Coutinho, who starred in goalscoring displays against both Chelsea and Crystal Palace previously, stepped up his output further against Pellegrini's side, pairing his creative zeal with a tenacity and hunger for possession. Winning the ball from Bacary Sagna near the right touchline on seven minutes, Coutinho embodied Klopp's philosophy, pushing forward in support of Firmino, whose cutback was touched beyond Joe Hart by a desperate Mangala.

Similarly effective, Lallana's appreciation of space and defensive intelligence put Mangala, Demichelis and Aleksandar Kolarov under constant pressure. He remained efficient when possession was won, completing 82.1 per cent of his attempted passes—the most of any Liverpool player to start the game.

At the heart of Liverpool's attacking success however, was the sensational Firmino, whose exemplary work rate and defensive output came second to his attacking quality. Firmino latched onto loose balls, combined with his fellow forwards and persisted in pushing the City defence back toward Hart's goal.

Capping the night with a goal and an assist, Firmino served as Klopp's perfect player, capturing his vision flawlessly.

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"Liverpool fans have been waiting for so many years that I can understand they are losing patience, but it doesn’t work like that," Klopp told the Independent's Tim Rich a week after his appointment. He continued:

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Some things will change, because I am different to other managers, but we cannot change the whole world in one day.

I don’t want to use my three-year contract as an excuse and after that three years say, ‘Well, now we can rise up’. No, I want to change as many things as soon as possible, but it is really important that we are patient enough to be successful.

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Arriving on Merseyside on a wave of Anfield euphoria, Klopp looked to immediately temper expectations of an instant revival—this was, after all, the same squad that saw Rodgers flounder in the first months of 2015/16. But though this was a sensible approach from the 48-year-old, results have suggested otherwise: Liverpool have lost just once in their first eight games under Klopp, winning four.

With Saturday's overwhelming attacking display at the Etihad adding a welcome flourish to this run of form, Klopp's vision looked close to being realised.

"It was very satisfying—if it was the best, I'm not sure," Klopp told reporters after the game.

"I rarely compare games, but for tonight it was very good. It was not perfect, because we can defend better and we can stay better in the game when we [have a] 3-0 lead, but of course, when you win 4-1 against Man City, it should be very good."

Klopp's modest assessment of what was a true triumph at the Etihad underscores his ambition—this is not enough for the German. And while it is important to note this was a City side lacking several of their key players, the absence of many of Klopp's own stars suggests there is more to come.

Mamadou Sakho, Jordan Henderson, Sturridge and Benteke can all slot into this side and ensure improvement, with the return of Sturridge in particular set to boost the likes of Coutinho and Firmino.

This remains a work in progress for Klopp, but in their emphatic attacking display at the Etihad on Saturday, Liverpool revealed their take on his tactical vision.

Statistics via WhoScored.com; all quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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