Liverpool currently boast one of the most formidable attacking trios in world football - if not *the* most formidable attacking trio.Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino have worked exceptionally well together since the start of the 2017-18 campaign.That was Salah’s debut season at Anfield - and the Egyptian forward proved to be the missing piece in Liverpool’s attacking jigsaw.The Reds reached the 2018 Champions League final, beating Manchester City in the quarter-finals.Jurgen Klopp’s side sealed a convincing 5-1 aggregate victory, winning both home and away legs, with Salah, Firmino and Mane scoring four of the team’s five goals.Ahead of that quarter-final, City boss Pep Guardiola was filmed speaking nervously about Klopp’s side - and in particular, their front three.This was the season that City were filmed for the much-loved All or Nothing documentary, which is still available to stream on Amazon.And in one scene, Guardiola discusses his fears about facing Salah, Firmino and Mane with his assistants Carles Planchart and Domenec Torrent.
Here’s the exchange in full…Guardiola: “The forwards of Liverpool are good.”Planchart: “Sorry?”Guardiola: “Those three up front.”Planchart: “Yes Pep, but only it's just them.”Guardiola: “They scare me. They're dangerous, I mean it. I have a feeling that Salah will play [as a] striker. Salah will play as number nine and Firmino will move towards the wing. He comes here and Salah goes forward. Our wing-back can't cover their wing-backs.”
Planchart: “I notice when they don't have space, they suffer a lot, like today against Crystal Palace. But we are a team that risks a lot.”Torrent: “I watched our game yesterday when we went there [to Anfield] and lost. They played on another level. If you want to beat them you have to work to do it. If we are at our best, we are better than Liverpool.”
Watch the clip here...
City either weren’t at their best, or Torrent was wrong and Liverpool were actually the better team, because Guardiola’s side were hammered over the two legs.
Liverpool outclassed City at Anfield in the first leg, winning 3-0, before sealing a 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium six days later.
There’s less to play for during Thursday night’s Premier League clash between the two sides after Liverpool were crowned champions of England last week, but the thought of going head-to-head against the Reds’ revered front three may have given Guardiola another sleepless night or two.