WEMBLEY STADIUM — Perhaps it simply comes down to the invigorating power of momentum versus the debilitating effects of fatigue, and what you consider to matter more.
If you were asked to guess which of Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola would favour which approach, it would not be a difficult conundrum. Klopp is the momentum master; you can imagine him telling his players that tiredness only exists in the mind and, more pertinently, his players believing him. We know that Guardiola thinks the opposite.
When asked for an explanation behind making seven changes from the side that eliminated Atletico Madrid on Wednesday evening, he was candid: “No alternative, we have injuries. We have incredible mentally and physically demanding fixtures. No other way to do it.”
But there clearly was another way. You can make changes, but you don’t have to make seven. If you really must rest defenders, you don’t have to leave the best passing goalkeeper in the world on the bench because presumably, he is not as tired. If you really must make wholesale changes to the defence and goalkeeper, you might pick your pass master midfielder rather than a 36-year-old whose legs are going.
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Perhaps that means we must wait until Thursday morning to make a final judgement: if Liverpool look laboured against Manchester United (assuming they cannot beat them even at half pace), Klopp will wonder “what if?”. Or do we wait longer still: if Manchester City win the league and Champions League double, nobody will dwell on a dismal day at Wembley.
But for now, let’s not sugarcoat it: it was as bad as it gets for a team this good. Manchester City were so desperate in the first half that it became physically hard to watch from a neutral perspective. It offered a reminder of that infamous David Moyes quote about the performance of his Manchester United team – City needed to improve in a number of areas, including passing, defending and creating chances. The final score may convince those absent that they missed a contest; we know different.
Manchester City supporters will have their own diagnosis for the most relevant cause of their abject display. Zack Steffen will claim the headlines with more ease than he did anything else at Wembley. He stayed on his line for the first goal, was humiliated for the second and beaten at his near post for the third.
You might raise questions about the defenders, who must have known that Steffen would be pressured by Liverpool attackers and so should have been open to receiving the ball and may have chosen not to pass back to their goalkeeper as much as they might if Ederson was there.
You might wonder if this is the final time we see Fernandinho start a high-profile game. The Brazilian surprised Guardiola in midweek by announcing that he would be leaving in the summer; after Saturday, Guardiola might consider it for the best. One of Rodri’s best assets, better even than his passing range, is the way he makes himself available for the ball, facing his own goal, and backs himself to retain possession. Fernandinho failing to show for the ball makes life harder for everyone behind him.
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Guardiola’s wilful surrender was confirmed by his persistence with a status quo that could only ever end in defeat. Fernandinho played the full 90 minutes, fortunate not to receive at least two yellow cards. Jesus repeatedly produced that pained expression where he blames himself and the world for his incompetence – he lasted 78 minutes.
Liverpool will not care; nor should they. Their manager believes in the head of steam principle and he stands close to rewriting history with success in four competitions. With five minutes to go, Mohamed Salah sprinted to close down Oleksandr Zinchenko, the contest over but his desire to score not sated. You try telling him that this game was worth resting him for. You try telling him he’s tired. You try telling them momentum cannot overcome fatigue.
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