Liverpool meet Manchester City in the Premier League this weekend, two teams clinging to the old way of things.
The age of corners and long throws is upon us, and here are two sides championing the slick and stylish passing play that was shaped and defined by Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp across so many exciting years at the top of the English game.
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This is just a bit of humour, but the truth remains that the Premier League's tactical culture has shifted in recent months, with table-topping Arsenal masterfully secure in defence and with an incredible knack at scoring from set-pieces.
Arne Slot has tried to adapt by changing things this season, but there the Dutchman's progress has unravelled after a summer of sweeping change.
Recent wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid have sparked a red revival, but this could be the toughest test of the lot, with the Etihad anything but a happy hunting ground for Liverpool in recent years.
Having reverted to type, Slot may fancy dropping Florian Wirtz for this one, even after the German's show-stopping performance in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.
Why Slot could bench Florian Wirtz
There's no denying that it's been a tough ride for Wirtz since he completed a record-breaking £116m transfer from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool this summer.
Liverpool's Florian Wirtz
The 22-year-old is regarded as one of the most exciting creative talents in the world, and having achieved staggering things in his German homeland, had been expected to hit the ground running.
Instead, Wirtz has struggled to settle into Slot's Liverpool squad, and after ten matches and 610 minutes of action in the Premier League, he still searches for his first goal contribution.
However, there have been undeniable improvements in recent weeks, and against Real Madrid, he came alive.
Wirtz vs Real Madrid
The attacking midfielder's time will come, but Slot may opt against recalling him to the starting line-up in the top flight here, instead entrusting a proven formula to get the job done against Guardiola's title-challenging outfit.
Of course, Wirtz could always make his presence known from the bench, boasting an array of technical qualities simply out of reach for the lion's share of positional peers across Europe.
Should Wirtz be dropped, there is another Redman who could take his place.
Slot must unleash the new Mo Salah
While it might seem like Cody Gakpo would be the perfect candidate to return to the left wing, Slot has intimated on several occasions that Hugo Ekitike has the athleticism and awareness to play off the wing.
Ultimately, that decision lies with Slot. But, without question, Liverpool must unleash Alexander Isak at number nine if the 26-year-old is given the green light.
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The precondition to this indeed being an assessment of the Sweden international's fitness, of course. Isak has missed Liverpool's past four matches in all competitions as he recovers from a groin injury picked up against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League last month.
There's nothing quite like Liverpool vs Manchester City in the Premier League. Some of the greatest games in the division's history have been contested between these two heavyweights over the past decade.
Isak has struggled since completing his British-record £125m move to Anfield from Newcastle on transfer deadline day, only playing eight times and scoring just once.
FFC's Predicted Liverpool XI vs Man City
Position
GK
RB
CB
CB
LB
DM
CM
CM
RW
LW
CF
However, injuries and Liverpool's wider imbalances have inhibited him, and this could be the perfect opponent for him to announce himself as the club's new talisman, taking the baton from the great Mohamed Salah as he begins to wind down.
Isak hasn't hit his stride on Merseyside yet, but we all know what he is capable of. Last season, he scored 27 goals for the Magpies, including a strike against Liverpool at Wembley to clinch the Carabao Cup. Jamie Carragher was in awe, hailing him as "the best striker in the Premier League" back in January.
Isak typically operates higher than his counterpart, Ekitike. He is fast and intelligent, and his skill at playing off a defender and peeling away down the lane and into the danger area is almost matchless across Europe.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 8% of strikers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent's goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.
Such data signifies not only his ball-carrying ability but his ability to drop deep and funnel play forward before blistering ahead himself and join the attack that he sparked off in the first place.
Hugo Ekitike replaces Alexander Isak
Wirtz and Isak have a partnership in the making, but fielding both here might not be the best course of action. City will look to dominate on the ball and overwhelm a Liverpool backline that has shown itself to be shaky across multiple matches this season.
It had been nine years since Liverpool last beat Man City away from home in the Premier League. That was before Slot came along.
Things are different for both clubs since that springtime showdown last year, but with Isak up front for the Reds, they will have their answer to the wrecking ball that is Erling Haaland, and maybe it will be enough to steer the champions over the line.