"Heavenly" and "Reds" "summit review" on the shield of the Union

Guardiola and Clube (archive)

LONDON (AFP)

After the fierce competition between them and the last day of the Premier League last season, the Manchester City-Liverpool dispute continues as the two teams meet at Wembley Stadium for the FA Cup match.
The game, an unofficial opening of the new season, is a preliminary test for Manchester City and Champions League champions Liverpool, who finished second in the Premier League last season, just one point from the capital.
Usually, the league match is the shield between the Premier League champion and the FA Cup champion, but because of City's crowning with both titles, Liverpool plays the game as a finalist.
Although many consider the match as a confrontation, some consider it to be very important, as Jordan's Gordon Henderson pointed out.
"I know it's a tournament that Liverpool always takes seriously," Henderson said. "It's the responsibility of all those who are chosen to participate and who must give all they can to win."
"We have a lot of respect for Manchester City and what this team did last season, and we know they will be a serious contender in the new season, but this game depends only on the best we can win for our fans. " Both sides witnessed the arrival of a number of important players in the preparations for the new season, after completion of participation with their national teams. Egyptian star Mohammed Salah scored his first participation this summer in Liverpool's jersey in the friendly match against Lyon last Wednesday, after completing his participation with the national team at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations organized recently by Egypt, as was the case of his colleagues Roberto Fermino and Alison Becker. With the Brazilian team at the Copa America (2017).
Senegalese midfielder Sadio Mani returns to Liverpool a few days after arriving at the finals of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, which ended July 19 with the crowning of Algeria.
Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesús and Nicolas Otamendi also returned to Manchester City after completing their participation in the Copa America. Anderson and Fernandinho will join him soon.
Last season, City and Liverpool had to contend with a fierce and long fight in the Premier League, until the match ended with the title of City, just one point ahead of Liverpool.
Manchester City has scored 198 points over the last two seasons and recently boosted its record by hiring Spanish midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez of Atletico Madrid for 8.62 million pounds ($ 76 million).
Former Manchester City captain, Vincent Coppeni, will be the usual absent face after leaving the team and settling in Anderlecht.
Liverpool, who scored the third highest point of the year in Premiership history and failed to win, found his consolation in a sixth consecutive win as European champion against Tottenham Hotspur.
In their preparations for the new season, Citi has won three wins in four friendly matches in Asia, while Liverpool has not won in three games in the United States.
"It was an excellent test of preparation, not before Liverpool, but before the start of the season," said Pep Guardiola, coach of Manchester City, who beat Japanese Yokohama F Marinos 3-1 at the end of their Asian tour.
Liverpool also won its last friendly in preparations for the season and defeated Lyon to boost the confidence of the Jorgen Club in anticipation of the upcoming clash against City.