Liverpool's 45 minutes of perfection that shook the world

Jurgen Klopp is playing down Liverpool's chances of a historic quadruple, but he could not hide his satisfaction with their first-half dismantling of Manchester City.

"I think the first half was one of the best we ever played," Klopp said post-match. "We did all the right stuff, we scored in the right moments, we played an incredible game in the first half, I really loved each second of it."

Considering the way his Liverpool team have swept teams off the pitch in the early stages of games at Anfield, that is quite some statement.

City were weary after their exertions against Atletico Madrid - when they made just two changes to their starting XI in contrast to Liverpool's seven against Benfica - and their vulnerabilities were ruthlessly exploited.

Liverpool's first-half was markedly more intense and high-quality compared to their opening 45 minutes at the Etihad in the league match, when they were fortunate to stay in the game.

There were the moments that comprised a Liverpool masterclass.

Liverpool's press

Manchester City were able to gain mastery of the Premier League meeting with a slight tweak to their usual midfield structure, with Bernardo Silva dropping deeper alongside Rodri to give them an extra dexterous ball-player to escape pressure.

Though this move in the 12th minute showed City's intentions as they worked the ball from Zach Steffen into Bernardo Silva and into Jack Grealish in a centre-forward position, it was a rare occurrence of City playing through Liverpool lines.

Klopp's team were more intense and quicker to the challenge at Wembley than they were at the Etihad. In the first 45 minutes of the league meeting, Liverpool won just 13 duels, only a shade more than 37 per cent of those competed. In the same period of time on Saturday, they won 33 duels, almost 56 per cent of those competed for.

It was not all about smashing into collisions though; Liverpool were better at ushering City into safe areas.

Sadio Mane produced his most effervescent performance in months in a central position, trying to cut the link between Steffen and Fernandinho. Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah shadowed the two-full backs and stood ready to close down a pass short to the centre-backs.

Liverpool offered City the clip to the touchline, a low-risk area to pass to for the defensive team because they can use the touchline as their friend.

The ball goes straight for a throw-in. In a similar incident later in the half to the other flank, Zinchenko heads down into midfield where Fabinho - much improved - gobbles it up.

Playing between the lines

The league match produced an interesting reversal of approaches, with City targeting Liverpool with direct attacks and Klopp's team seeking to work the ball through the thirds. City played more long passes than any home game this season.

“We played fewer long balls than usual, wanted to play between the lines, their last line," said Klopp.

Liverpool were far more successful at finding space behind City's midfield at Wembley, with an outstanding performance from Thiago helping them pick their way through. Their possession game had far more composure, completing an extra 39 passes compared to the first 45 minutes of the league match.

At the Etihad, Fabinho found Diogo Jota just four times while Thiago completed just two passes to Liverpool's false nine. Mane rolling off City's centre-backs proved a far more effective link.

This move sums up how easily Liverpool were able to progress play. One pass from Alisson into Naby Keita eliminates City's first line.

He lays the ball off to Fabinho who hooks the ball around the corner for Diaz who is in acres of space and able to turn and run at City's back four.

Bernardo is waving his arms in the air in the middle of the picture, knowing City's structure has been pulled out of shape.

The switch of play

Switching play from one side to the other is a hallmark of Liverpool's play, and Trent Alexander-Arnold is one of the game's finest exponents of this pass.

They drag opponents over to one side of the pitch, and then ping the ball to the weaker side where they have a player isolated against his opposite man.

Guardiola himself best summarised this tactic some years ago, telling biographer Marti Perarnau: "In all team sports, the secret is to overload one side of the pitch so that the opponent must tilt its own defence to cope.

"You overload one side and draw them in so that they leave the other side weak. And when we've done all that, we attack and score from the other side."

The attack that led to Mane's cracking third goal started with one of those Alexander-Arnold switches. The overload was actually created from an Alexander-Arnold throw-in chested back to him by Mane, surely one of the routines devised by much-mocked throw-in coach Thomas Gronnemark.

Liverpool's proficiency with dead-balls was also in evidence on the opening goal, when Ibrahima Konate scored another header. No team has scored more goals from set-pieces than Liverpool in the Premier League this season, and they have more than any other team in the Champions League.

These marginal gains are just one reason why, despite Klopp's protestations, Liverpool look as well-placed to complete the clean sweep than any side in recent memory.