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It was not the Anfield atmosphere which beat Manchester City.

Liverpool did.

If the smartest trick the devil played was to convince people he didn't exist, perhaps Liverpool supporters' greatest was to pretend their team was nothing but songs, banners and red smoke.

But from the mist emerged a side capable of not just beating Pep Guardiola's side, but annihilating them in a 45-minute spell which is one of the finest the stadium has ever seen.

It is romantic to place this evening in the hands of the supporters. The power of the Kop, as Jurgen Klopp has heralded it.

It played its part, and then some. But so did a magnificent on-field performance, one planned by Klopp and executed by his players.

Here is how he won the tactical battle against the Premier League leaders.

Pick a pocket or two

(Image: Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

It elicited a roar from the depths of Anfield. David Silva, a player who often creates infinite time in possession, found himself dispossessed deep in his own half. A ram raid from the home side, a counter attack initiated.

Silva was not alone.

Though Klopp's side engaged in a high press on Ederson – Roberto Firmino, in particular, pressurising his compatriot into kicking the ball into touch – there was a clear intent to press the space in between City's defence and midfield.

Ten of the team's attempted 39 tackles came in the opposition's half, although it is a figure which is skewed by how deep the Reds dropped once Mohamed Salah was forced off. A similar ratio of five interceptions from a total of 19 demonstrates how high Klopp's players were pushing.

It disrupted City's flow, but also offered opportunities on the counter. Liverpool were clinical.

Milner shuttles

(Image: Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

While Trent Alexander-Arnold is the main recipient of the plaudits, and the front three were considered the foundation of the victory, former City man James Milner was an imperative part of his side's display.

No midfielder made more tackles or interceptions than the vice-captain, who was given licence to roam in a defensive capacity.

Shuttling from side to side, Milner would track the flow of the ball, and produced an almost man-marking job on it. The central midfield of the away side – Kevin De Bruyne, Fernandinho and David Silva – only managed to complete five dribbles between them, three of those from the Belgian.

That was, in part, thanks to the stellar job Milner did.

Ox-to-Box

(Image: Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

With seven dribbles, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was Liverpool's most frequent outlet alongside Sadio Mane.

But six of those from the former Arsenal man came in a stunning first half.

He would move out to the wing once Salah was taken off, but it was in the centre of midfield where he flourished. With Jordan Henderson tasked with sweeping and Milner moving with the ball, Oxlade-Chamberlain was chosen to pick up the pockets of space left by City's midfield.

Guardiola opted to use De Bruyne as a deep-lying midfielder, almost in a quarterback role. He oozed class in the opening exchanges but was soon forced on the back foot because of Oxlade-Chamberlain's driving runs.

Fernandinho was often left isolated, and Oxlade-Chamberlain punished him. His inclusion was an intelligent move from Klopp, as there isn't another midfielder at the club so good at transitioning through a congested midfield.

Laporte in a storm

Aymeric Laporte looked a potential weakness in City's line-up after his performance on Merseyside at the weekend, with the Basque defender playing in the 3-0 win at Everton.

But if he looked ruffled then, he was truly unsettled by Salah.

He joins a long list of players to have bowed beneath the Egyptian king this season, but this was a tactical gamble which backfired for Guardiola.

Laporte – primarily a centre back – took up position on the left-hand side of defence. The idea, it seemed, was to act as a third centre-back alongside Nicolas Otamendi and Vincent Kompany. By doing that, he could close the space where Salah likes to occupy in between centre half and full back.

But it didn't work, because Alexander-Arnold was instructed to join Salah in attack wherever possible. This gave Laporte a real dilemma, and offered Salah that glimpse of space he can wreck havoc in.

The former Athletic Bilbao player bested Salah early in the first half, but he would struggle to do so again. No better proof came with the first goal; Salah cut inside and, with Laporte facing the African on his weaker right foot, struggled to make the necessary yards.

Trusting the trusted

Laporte's position was one of a number of gambles from Guardiola, all of which backfired.

The Catalan's team selection saw Raheem Sterling on the bench, though he would emerge to a cacophony of boos in the second half.

Guardiola sacrificed his usual style and set-up, such was his respect for Liverpool. He wanted more control, more passing, he said.

As he would later surmise: “We lost three zero.”

The balance of his side looked wrong, particularly with De Bruyne in a deeper role, and Gundogan often taking up a position on the right-hand side. Once the tactic of getting Sane one-on-one with Alexander-Arnold failed to yield results, the away side looked stumped.

Changing a team which has been so dominant domestically was a big risk, and one which backfired.

Liverpool and Klopp kept faith. There was no change to three at the back – though injury to Joel Matip made that impossible anyway – and no left-field choice of Milner right back.

Klopp played his strongest team possible, even if the the full backs and midfield looked as attacking as any side City have faced this season.

Liverpool trusted their players. In six days time, they must do so again.