Gary Neville was disappointed that Pep Guardiola failed to try anything “unique and unexpected” as Manchester City lost 3-1 to Liverpool on Sunday.
Fabinho fired Liverpool into an early lead with a superb 25-yard shot following a controversial VAR decision before Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane put the game out of sight, while City’s late consolation came via Bernardo Silva.
Leicester are now Liverpool‘s closest challengers after City’s miserable run at Anfield – one win in 29 visits – left them nine points adrift, while boss Guardiola was left raging at some VAR calls.
“I just felt that Pep Guardiola would have something different for us today, something that was unique and unexpected,” Neville told Sky Sports.
“It’s what we’ve come to expect over the last five, 10, 15 years watching him coach.
“I got what was normal, what was expected, the team the newspapers probably predicted this morning. Stones and Fernandinho at centre-back, I didn’t see anything different about it.
“Man City played well from a football point of view, but that back four and that goalkeeper were never going to be able to play deal with this ground. Forget the team, the strikers, this ground.
“You have to have a toughness and an authority like you would not believe to come and play a big game here, it’s the toughest of places and Man City did not have that in defence today.
“Whether they would have been better with Stones, Fernandinho and [Nicolas] Otamendi in a back three with wing-backs. Whether they could have gone with something completely bizarre, which is what you expect from Pep – innovative, creative, something that shocks you.
“Even if it doesn’t come off, he’s tried to do something, but this was not very Pep-like today.”