Delph: Manchester City Will Bounce Back

The 29-year-old’s own performance was very promising, following a slow start to life on Merseyside, and he is well aware of the importance of the result, with a busy run of fixtures on the horizon.

Liverpool produced a scintillating performance to thrash Manchester City 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening, and Jurgen Klopp’s influence was stamped all over the emphatic victory. “We try to do similar things but not always the same”. “We lost to Palace (in our last home game) so we have to find a solution and we will”, said Klopp, after his side became only the second away side to avoid defeat in City’s last 14 home Premier League games.

‘We have to work, that’s all, ‘ he said.

“But to make it all wrong in attacking, defending and possession…it’s not the team we know”.

It was City’s heaviest defeat since they moved to the Etihad in 2003. We have quality, we could have more goals. “We gave them a few questions in their buildup with our formation”, said Klopp.

Prior to kick-off, many Reds fans were concerned about the lack of attacking threat their side might pose without a recognised striker in their starting eleven; Jurgen Klopp had opted to name Christian Benteke and Daniel Sturridge on the bench with Roberto Firmino playing furthest forward.

Thankfully, Coutinho had done enough in that time to put the result beyond doubt, but perhaps more importantly – he’s not badly injured.

A fourth goal looked likely before half-time but it was the home side that scored it. It took a finish of pure class from Aguero though to reduce the deficit just before the break.

‘I don’t want to talk about individual players or decisions, ‘ was Pellegrini’s contribution to that debate. But we played very well [against City]. “Each game, he’s getting better and better”.

But if Pellegrini and his players cannot remedy the frailties they showed here, their European hopes, as well as their domestic ambitions, could start to unravel after such a promising start to the season.

“I thought we were outstanding”. “I was speaking to the boys, and they were disappointed, and were complimentary about how we played, but they know they can play a lot better than that”.

“They have got big games coming up as well, so I am sure they will bounce back, and likewise we can keep riding the wave”.

It was a case of deja vu for Milner, who has seen bosses come and go on a regular basis during a long career with Leeds, Newcastle, Aston Villa and City. It wasn’t because of the weather and it wasn’t a problem with Brendan Rodgers because he is a brilliant manager.