Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool lost to Man City in the 2016 League Cup final with it one of the prizes won at a time when the club were breaching the Premier League's financial regulations
Jurgen Klopp, manager of Liverpool reacts during the Capital One Cup Final match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium
Jurgen Klopp, manager of Liverpool reacts during the Capital One Cup Final match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium(Image: 2016 Getty Images)
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Liverpool are arguably the side who can feel most aggrieved after Man City were found guilty of 114 charges for breaching the Premier League’s financial regulations and their subsequent failure to co-operate with the investigation. The Reds have been City’s leading domestic rivals over the past decade. And while they have won two Premier League titles and every major honour, their returns are admittedly second to the Abu Dhabi-backed outfit.
The investigation into their financial dealings covers the period between 2009 and 2018, with City inevitably benefitting from the knock-on in the years that have followed.
Since 2009, they have won 22 major trophies including eight Premier Leagus titles, the Champions League and 11 domestic cups.
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In contrast, Liverpool have won nine major trophies over the past 17 years with such a return including two Premier League titles, the Champions League and four domestic cups.
Seven of Man City’s trophies were won between 2009 and 2018, with their dominance in English football reaching new heights under Pep Guardiola in the eight years since.
Meanwhile, the Reds lifted eight trophies under Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot, up against City’s total of 15, in the years after the period under investigation.
Liverpool infamously lost two Premier League titles to Man City in 2018/19 and 2021/22 by just one point, despite recording over 90 points.
Meanwhile, if not for Guardiola’s men, they would have recorded an Invincibles season in the English top-flight in 2018/19 and claimed a Premier League and Champions League double.
City have obviously benefitted as a result of their misdemeanours. While no-one can dispute they have fully deserved their honours on the pitch since 2018, it can be argued that such prizes perhaps would not have been possible if not for the financial cheating that preceded it.
Would they have been able to appoint Guardiola and sign all the big-money club legends that took them to the next level, were it not for the murky finances brought in and trophies won between 2009 and 2018? Unfortunately, we’ll never know.
Such honours are accompanied by an asterisk, but while they are now the subject of increased scrutiny, they are not the direct result of cheating.
But the same cannot be said for prizes won between 2009 and 2018. It is already well-documented that Liverpool missed out on one Premier League title to Man City during such a period.
The Reds finished just short of being crowned English champions in 2013/14, missing out by two points to Manuel Pellegrini’s side.
They had been five points clear at the top of the table with three games left to play, and nine ahead of City who still boasted two games in hand, only to be usurped after a Steven Gerrard slip against Chelsea before throwing away a 3-0 lead away at Crystal Palace.
But that is not the only honour Liverpool missed out on to Man City during such a period - Klopp was also denied his first trophy as Reds manager too.
Supporters can argue whether or not the German should now be classed as a three-time Premier League-winning coach after City were found guilty, but he led Liverpool to his first final with the club just four months into his Anfield reign.
Man City were their opponents in the League Cup final in 2016, as Klopp’s side lost on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Wembley.
Philippe Coutinho had cancelled out Fernandino’s opener, only to miss his subsequent spot-kick along with Lucas Leiva and Adam Lallana as the Reds’ fell to a 3-1 penalty loss.
Jordan Henderson of Liverpool and Philippe Coutinho of Liverpool dejected at the end of the Capital One Cup Final match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on February 28, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
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As a result, City won their final trophy of the pre-Guardiola era and Klopp was made to wait for his first Liverpool honour.
Prior to lifting the Champions League in 2019, he also had to contend with accusations of being labelled a ‘serial loser’ after suffering six straight defeats in major finals, with the Reds’ League Cup loss in 2016 his fourth in such a run.
Admittedly, the 2016 League Cup final is not an honour the red half of Merseyside will be most bitter about in contrast to lost Premier League titles. But it is one they directly missed out on during City’s ill-fated era.
And while it would be a surprise if City were stripped of the honours they won between 2009 and 2018, with such titles given to the runners up instead, there are 18 Liverpool players who suffered disappointment that day at Wembley who now have every right to feel that little bit more aggrieved at having lost.
Liverpool squad vs Man City in 2016 League Cup final:
Simon Mignolet
Nathaniel Clyne
Lucas Leiva
Mamadou Sakho
Alberto Moreno
Emre Can
Jordan Henderson
James Milner
Roberto Firmino
Philippe Coutinho
Daniel Sturridge
Adam Bogdan
Kolo Toure
Jon Flanagan
Adam Lallana
Joe Allen
Christian Benteke
Divock Origi
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