What reception awaits Man City at Anfield?

It was December 2024 when Pep Guardiola's Manchester City side were 2-0 down at Liverpool and the Anfield crowd chanted "you're getting sacked in the morning" towards the opposition boss.

No-one truly believed he was going to be given his marching orders but his side were on their way to a remarkable fourth consecutive Premier League defeat.

Guardiola could not help but lift six fingers up to the Liverpool crowd in response - representing the six Premier League titles he won with City.

Now, some may question each of those successes after an independent commission found the club guilty of the majority of the 115 charges the Premier League brought against them.

On Friday, current City boss Enzo Maresca said the club's titles are "absolutely not" tainted. But come Sunday, he and his players will face up to their new normal.

Such is the script that a trip to what promises to be a ferocious Anfield - a place Guardiola always described as difficult - is next.

City have won five out of five in the Premier League this term and it would be huge if Maresca can maintain that 100% start.

But for Andoni Iraola and Liverpool, this will be an opportunity to truly kickstart their own campaign, fuelled by a backstory like no other.

"It's an exciting game," said the Reds boss. "We are playing at home at Anfield against City that is top of the league, they have won all of their games.

"We will go for the game, they will go for it and it will be quite an open game and we have to be ready. I hope we will be at the level of the game, which will be high."

Asked if it was the kind of fixture he relished when taking the Liverpool job, Iraola added: "Yes, we are here to play this game. We know it's going to be challenging. They are very good but we also are very good."

It will be the first time since 2015 this clash will have neither Jurgen Klopp or Guardiola on the touchline, but nevertheless, a hostile atmosphere awaits and Tom Werner, the Liverpool chairman, will be in attendance.

Liverpool finished second in the Premier League to Man City in 2013-14 under Brendan Rodgers and again in 2018-19 and 2021-22 when Klopp's side put up 97 and 92 points respectively, but were one shy of Guardiola's City as they were pipped to the title.

A verdict on City's appeal awaits. City insist they are innocent but there will be sections of the Liverpool fanbase and former players and staff that feel aggrieved.

"You think about the memories and the successes that you were wrongly denied," John Achterberg, who was Liverpool's goalkeeping coach under Rodgers and Klopp, told The Athletic., external

"We won one Premier League title [in 2019-20], but it could have been four given that we missed out to City three times by such narrow margins."

Iraola added: "The worst thing probably is the uncertainty. No-one knows what's going to happen. We have to focus on Liverpool and being the best club we can be, the best team we can be. That's my challenge."

Liverpool may have a historic rivalry with the red half of Manchester, but since City were taken over by Abu Dhabi in 2008, matches between the two have consistently delivered on the field and there's been off-field action too.

In 2018, the Reds were fined 20,000 euros (£17,500) by Uefa after supporters threw missiles at the City bus before the Champions League quarter-final first-leg at Anfield.

Liverpool went on to score three goals in 19 first-half minutes and knocked City out. Earlier that season in January, it was Klopp's men who ended City's unbeaten league start with a thrilling 4-3 win at Anfield.

"There's something about it that you will find in no other stadium in the world. They score a goal and over the next five minutes you feel that you'll receive another four. You feel small and the rival players seem to be all over," Guardiola said in 2019.

Merseyside Police say an appropriate policing plan will be in place for Sunday but chose not to delve into specifics when asked by BBC Sport.

There is a growing expectation the team buses will be welcomed when they arrive and posters on social media have advertised a 'Bus Greeting' on Anfield Road.

It remains unclear whether a separate bus route could be taken, but that has happened previously at Anfield.

Inside the ground, Liverpool are renowned for their collection of banners and flags and plenty are planned. It will be worth keeping an eye on the pre-match playlist, too.

One social media post suggested fans could bring stacks of fake money.

In terms of preparations, Liverpool's stance is "business as usual" and any talks with the police and around safety concerns are regular meetings that would happen before every game.

The fact of the matter is, however, this is likely to be an occasion and game like no other.