Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji has revealed he was stunned by the lack of atmosphere at Anfield ahead of kick-off before their recent clash with Liverpool - only to be shocked by the noise when the game kicked off.
City have enjoyed some sensational battles with Jurgen Klopp's side both in Merseyside and in Manchester down the years, but do not boast the best record when it comes to games on the Reds' stomping ground. Last weekend's meeting between the two teams marked the first time Akanji has featured in this fixture.
Purchased from Borussia Dortmund in the summer for a fee of around £17million, the central defender has impressed when called upon. However, he failed to stop City falling to another Anfield defeat last Sunday as Mohamed Salah's second-half strike was enough to separate the two teams.
Pressed for comment on what it was like to play at one of England's most iconic grounds, Akanji told Sportsmail : ‘It’s funny that you ask because before the game, when we walked into the stadium for our warm-up, it was so quiet. No booing or anything. I told Erling [Haaland] I thought it was weird. I expected it would be really crowded and the mood against us. But I felt nothing at all.
"We came back in before the game and I talked to Riyad Mahrez as well. He was sitting right next to me. I was like, 'Is it always like this here? Everybody talks so highly of Anfield and I don’t really see it'.
"He just told me to wait until the game started and then when it did I was like a different atmosphere completely. Particularly in the second half when our goal was disallowed and they scored. It was really, really loud then."
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Indeed, after Phil Foden's goal for City was chalked off for a Haaland foul in the build-up, Anfield erupted into a caulderon of noise. Guardiola appeared to deliberately try and goad the crowd into getting louder once VAR overruled his side's strike.
Just minutes later, the volume increased even more when Salah netted the game's only goal. The Reds talisman took an Alisson drop-kick in his stride, shrugging off Joao Cancelo in the process before slotting beyond the onrushing Ederson. Akanji could do little but watch on in despair as Klopp's men reduced the gap between the two teams, though there are still seven points separating the pair of them as things stand.
And the fact Mahrez told his new City teammate about the atmosphere they would face speaks volumes about the impact Anfield can have. After the game, Guardiola lamented "This is Anfield" as he complained about decisions at Liverpool's home stadium, but it is clear that the noise generated is significant for players as well.
Liverpool currently languish as low as seventh, while City are four points behind league-leaders Arsenal in second after 10 games played. Home form remains a key component for Klopp's side - and Akanji's revelation shows exactly why.
