Man City made the perfect start to the new season and Jamie Carragher thinks the influence of new assistant manager Pep Lijnders is already showing.
City thrashed Wolves 4-0 at Molineux in what was the most convincing performance of any side over the opening weekend.
Erling Haaland bagged a brace while new signings Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki both got themselves on the scoresheet with fine finishes.
City, who are known for dominating the ball and breaking opponents down, looked particularly dangerous on the counter on the night.
And Carragher thinks Jurgen Klopp’s former assistant Lijnders has brought some elements of that Liverpool team’s game to his new side.
Speaking on Monday night Football, he said: ‘it’s one game, I can’t get out of my head what Pep said last season, that ‘it’s not really my football where the game is going’, transition end-to-end football.
Jamie Carragher has pinpointed the moment that confirmed the influence of Pep Lijnders
Pep Guardiola made a point of celebrating his side’s second goal of the match with Lijnders
New signing Tijjani Reijnders finsihed off a fine counter-attack to double the visiting side’s lead
‘Pep Ljinders is a big coach, big influence on Jurgen Klopp and I did see little instance of that Liverpool team.
‘I watched the game at the weekend and couldn’t believe what I saw, the players were jumping a high line.
‘When you think back to Liverpool and the amount of counter attacking goals with Sadio Mane and Mo Salah – I looked at the goal from Reinjders who was an absolute revelation – and – it was maybe not much like a Pep Guardiola goal.
‘Of course they’ve scored plenty of counter attacking goals in the past but the reason it stood out was the counter attacking nature of it and the celebration, Lijnders and Guardiola, he’s giving him the thanks hug.
‘We don’t know exactly what it’s for but I don’t think it’s a coincidence, he as a coach is having a big influence on Pep Guardiola.
Lijnders spent 10 years at Liverpool over two spells and left the club when Klopp did.
The Reds were famous for their lightning quick counter-attacks during the second spell.
He went on to take charge of RB Salzburg but was sacked after just 29 games with the Austrian side 10 points adrift in the title race.