Most Liverpool supporters will have done a double-take when they heard the news that Pep Lijnders was joining Manchester City as Pep Guardiola’s assistant last summer.
The Dutchman had seemingly become a Red through and through following a decade-long spell at Anfield which ended in 2024.
Lijnders even suggested he had his eyes on a return to Liverpool if his career as a head coach went the way he hoped it would.
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Alisson before Marseille vs Liverpool - UEFA Champions League
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However, after failing miserably as number one at RB Salzburg, the 43-year-old returned to what felt comfortable: assisting a legendary manager in England’s North West.
That it was with City, who so tormented he and Jurgen Klopp during their years at Liverpool, did not sit right with a lot of supporters. And as Lijnders prepares to come to Anfield for the first time as an opposition coach this Sunday, he has ensured that he will not be received warmly.
Pep Lijnders unmoved by Anfield return
During his spell at Liverpool, Lijnders became well-known for his over-the-top enthusiasm. He would regularly speak about the club in such glowing terms that it almost felt insincere and performative.
Actions, as they say, speak louder than words, and his decision to join one of Liverpool’s very biggest domestic rivals has made all those comments feel incredibly hollow.
Pep Lijnders kisses the Premier League trophy at Anfield after winning it with Liverpool
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What was even more strange was Lijnders reaction to being asked about this Sunday’s visit to Anfield as he took a press conference on January 30th. Asked if it would be ‘weird’ to be in the away dressing room at a stadium he spent so long calling home, you’d imagine it would be a pretty straightforward ‘yes’ for him.
Instead, Lijnders deflected the question, claiming it would be more of an occasion for his family than himself and that he simply wanted to beat Liverpool.
“No [it won’t be weird], because I’m a professional,” he answered. “We played them here [at the Etihad], when we go to Anfield it will be special, more special for my family than for me. My mindset is to win and to try to beat them.”
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Lijnders deserves some Anfield boos
Given the scale of the perceived betrayal from Trent Alexander-Arnold last summer, Lijnders has got away from the spotlight a little for his own turncoat behaviour.
However, his defection to the Etihad Stadium has hurt a lot of fans, and they should let him know about it on Sunday.
Clearly, it is not as easy to boo a coach as it is a player, as Alexander-Arnold will attest. But if Lijnders attempts to have a moment with the home support, he should be shown in no uncertain terms what they think of him.
Yes, he spent many successful years at Anfield and was part of a truly special time for the club. But all of that appears to mean very little to him, so why should it matter to us?
Lijnders and City may well get the win they crave on Sunday, but his presence on the bench next to Guardiola is just one more reason why a Liverpool victory would be so sweet.
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