The result when Manchester City drubbed Wolves 4-0 was not the only part of the story there was. The real intrigue lay in the method. In comes Lijnders, the new assistant of Pep Guardiola, the former right hand man of Jurgen Klopp. Instantly, the genetics of City seemed to have been interwoven with that of Liverpool: a hight defensive barrier, deadly counters and sufficient running to stink out a marathon runner. There was no tiki-taka but there was rock and roll football in a Catalan rearrangement.
Lijnders and the High Line
Jamie Carragher nearly spilled his Monday Night Football coffee watching City push up so high that Wolves’ forwards probably needed binoculars to spot Ederson. It was bold, brash, and yes, very Liverpool-esque. Gary Neville even admitted it takes serious discipline to hold that kind of line. For once, John Stones looked less like a centre-back and more like a conductor keeping everyone in sync.
Lijnders and the Counter Blitz
Remember Klopp’s Liverpool in their prime, when Salah and Mane would break at warp speed? City channeled that same chaos with Tijjani Reijnders finishing a lightning move. Pep even rugby tackled Lijnders- unusual outward demonstrations of affection by the realist who carries handshakes as binding contracts. Coincidence? Please.
Lijnders and the Hard Yards
Here’s the kicker: City ran 117.6km, more than in any Premier League match last season. They outworked Wolves by nearly 10km. Guardiola may love the ball, but he now loves the chase too. The whisper is that Lijnders has drilled in that relentlessness Liverpool thrived on.
Author’s Opinion: Pep’s Smartest Gamble Yet
If Guardiola is borrowing ideas from Lijnders, good. Better managers are stealers, tweakers, and visionaries. It is not Guardiola throwing in the philosophy; it is Guardiola expanding on the palette. And let’s be real—when Pep adapts, titles follow. Rivals, beware.The Premier League just became Pep’s playground again, with Lijnders whispering fresh tricks behind the curtain.
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