Fowler: City must overcome ‘deafening’ Anfield noise

Joe Williams

Manchester City will have to overcome a hostile atmosphere at Anfield if they are to progress in their Champions League quarter-final clash against Liverpool, according to Robbie Fowler.

Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola’s sides will come face-to-face on Wednesday in an all-Premier League tie in Europe’s most prestigious club competition.

And former Reds striker Fowler thinks that the supporters will play a massive role in helping Klopp’s men gain a foothold in the fixture.

“If Anfield is at its most hostile, if the noise is at its most deafening, then it is one of the greatest nights in world football… and if City come through that, then they will truly deserve their place in the semi-final,” Fowler wrote in his column for the Daily Mirror.

“That is what European nights are all about, that is what you want as a footballer, to test yourself against the best on those truly memorable nights.”

Man City lost 4-3 in a seven-goal thriller back in January and Fowler thinks that defeat will still be fresh in Guardiola’s mind on Wednesday night.

“He’ll be thinking, ‘we dominated them until that mad nine minutes, we have to dominate them again without the dodgy period’,” Fowler added.

“Liverpool have to recreate the emotion of that nine-minute period — and then defend better if they can get any sort of lead.

“That means the crowd must help… and I know from experience they certainly have it in them.”