Even when Anfield appeared uncharacteristically quiet ahead of Liverpool's October victory over Manchester City, the visiting players knew it was only the calm before the storm.
Pep Guardiola's side host Jurgen Klopp's Reds on Saturday looking to close the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal. Three points would bring them within five of the Gunners, who are due to kick off less than an hour after the full-time whistle blows at the Etihad Stadium.
While Liverpool have been poor travellers this season, taking just 12 points from 13 league games on the road, it has been a different story in front of their own fans. City's players appeared to sense this back in October, even if one of their new recruits was almost fooled by the quiet before them.
"It’s funny that you ask because before the game, when we walked into the stadium for our warm-up, it was so quiet," City defender Manuel Akanji told Sportsmail when asked about his first Premier League trip to Anfield. "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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Liverpool won 1-0 in that Anfield clash, with Mohamed Salah scoring the Reds' goal. That was one of nine wins in 13 home league games for the Reds, but they have won only three times in the league away from home - and only once since the turn of the year.
Klopp's men have been handed a triple boost ahead of the game, with Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Kostas Tsimikas all fit to take part in training this week. If Diaz features on Saturday, it would be his first appearance since October 9, when the Colombian was forced off early against Arsenal.
Like Manchester City, Liverpool have some catching up to do between now and the end of the season. The Reds are out of contention for the title, but still have a chance to salvage a top four finish despite sitting outside the Champions League spots for the entire season.
The Merseyside club sit in sixth, seven points adrift of fourth-place Tottenham albeit with two games in hand, but Newcastle in fifth have also played two games fewer than the London side. Newcastle host Man Utd this Sunday, with Spurs travelling to Everton on Monday night.
