Sunday night’s blockbuster clash between Liverpool and Manchester City provided further evidence towards its claim atop the list of the fiercest rivalries in Premier League history.
An end to end affair, as these games usually are, saw Liverpool equalize twice. City, on the other hand, missed a host of chances, including a last-minute chipped attempt from Riyad Mahrez.
It finished 2-2, a result which ensures that the title race will go down the wire
Despite all the intensity on the pitch, it’s all love between the two sides, as Guardiola’s emphatic embrace with Klopp proved. Another example is the post-match conversation between Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, and City’s Kevin De Bruyne.
Right as the final whistle rang, the Belgian and the Dutchman were seen walking toward each other.
Naturally, fans wondered about the reason behind it, as two opposition players rarely mingle before exchanging handshakes with their teammates, unless they’re friends or international teammates of course.
Answers soon followed, provided by the Belgian magician himself during the post-match press conference.
The Belgian said, “I know Virgil, me and Virgil see each other a lot. Our children go to the same school and they like to play together, so it was just a friendly chat”.
For those wondering how come the children of De Bruyne (who lives in Manchester) and Van Dijk (who lives in Liverpool) go to the same school, one has to take into account that the duo probably live in the county of Cheshire, one of the wealthiest and nicest areas to live in that borders both Manchester and Liverpool.
A hint of friendship between two rivals?
Well, that’s a big no-no for rigid football fans who like their rivalries filled to the brim with hatred and revulsion.
Many such fans quickly showed their distaste at the prospect of De Bruyne and Van Dijk being friends, and some labelled the game a ‘friendly’.
If we may speak for sanity’s sake, players don’t need to feel the hostility in order to deliver an incredible game of football.
And despite all the pleasantries exchanged between the personnel of Liverpool and Man City, the two sides deliver almost every single time.
