There are several subplots to watch out for before Manchester City and Liverpool’s forthcoming matchup.
With Jurgen Klopp presently holding a little advantage in their head-to-head record, Pep Guardiola will be eager to upset his former rival.
Given that Ilkay Gundogan’s future is still quite uncertain, he may be chosen to start. Kyle Walker and others will be hoping that Luis Diaz’s pace sits on the sidelines for as long as possible. Luis Diaz is set to make his Liverpool comeback.
But Erling Haaland will draw more media attention than most people. He’s certainly gotten used to it by this point, having had a season that many people thought was impossible.
He missed the Norwegian squad’s preparation over the international break due to injury, and even though he is still questionable going into the game, Liverpool is arguably the only team he would want to face because of an outstanding score to settle.
The season began at the King Power Stadium with these two teams competing for the Community Shield in what seems like a lifetime ago. Depending on your perspective on the customary season-opener, the game is either a chance to win the first trophy of the year or a glorified friendly.
Manchester and Liverpool don’t frequently play in first gear – especially when playing each other. The unique setup could have made for a dull affair.
Two new strikers were the focus of the game’s narrative. Darwin Nunez arrived in Liverpool from Benfica while Haaland completed his eagerly awaited transfer from Borussia Dortmund. Fans would get their first opportunity to learn how these two attackers, who are both burdened by high price tags, would perform in their respective new settings during the Community Shield.
It might have been simple to make some incorrect assumptions by the time the game was done. Trent Alexander-deflected Arnold’s goal and Mohamed Salah’s penalty, as well as Nunez’s winning header, all contributed to Liverpool’s 3-1 victory. The penalty kick that Salah successfully converted belonged to Uruguay.
His fellow striker from the summer signing class had a bad day. He mishandled a close-range finish to give his team a 1-0 deficit and scooped the ball up into the air instead. With a 3-1 deficit, goalkeeper Adrian’s stop brilliantly placed the ball in his path, but the Norwegian missed a clear-cut opportunity and hit the crossbar with the shot.
Already there were inquiries. Was he going to be able to recreate the scintillating form he shown in Germany? Had City, on a day when Julian Alvarez temporarily had the sides level, put all their eggs in one basket?
Even if they mostly came from rival fans attempting to capitalize on a display of weakness, it seems absurd and foolish looking back that those suspicions ever even existed. Haaland has scored a staggering 42 goals since then while also contributing five assists. Nunez has scored 14 goals and provided four assists, which is still a respectable performance for his first season in the Premier League but falls far short of Haaland’s accomplishments.
No one before Haaland has been as driven to succeed. And every time he unavoidably puts the ball in the goal, he’ll undoubtedly be remembering those first-game errors and grinning at the thought of anyone who had the temerity to question his qualifications.
The only thing scarier right now than Haaland is an Erling Haaland out for vengeance, so Liverpool will be hoping he’s out on Saturday.
