But it hasn’t all been bad and there have been memorable moments along the way – not as many as we’d have liked – but good memories, nonetheless.
So, ahead of Sunday’s game, here are five moments from past Anfield clashes that stick in the memory…
READ: Which TV channel is Liverpool v City on?
May 2003: Anelka double
City trailed to Milan Baros’ 58th-minute goal and Peter Schmeichel’s heroics had ensured the Blues were still in the game when Nicolas Anelka was brought down in the box by Djimi Traore foul – and the Frenchman stepped up to convert the penalty in front of The Kop.
But it would soon get even better as, three minutes into added time, Ali Benarbia and Shaun Wright-Phillips combined to present Anelka with a chance that he lashed home from 15 yards to record City’s first win at Anfield for 22 years.
January 2012: De Jong stunner
City trailed 1-0 from the League Cup semi-final first leg at the Etihad and had to score at least once in the second leg in order to stay in with a chance of progressing to the final.
Backed by around 8,000 travelling Blues, City drew first blood – and it came from the most unlikely source.
Nigel De Jong’s lack of goals for the Club had become something of an in-joke with fans with the Dutchman scoring just once in more than 120 starts – so when he took aim from 25 yards in front of The Kop, it’s fair to say a few Liverpool supporters prepared to duck – but instead De Jong struck a screamer of a long-range effort into the top corner before turning around to suggest, ‘what else did you expect?’
November 1990: Last-gasp Quinn
Manager Howard Kendall had only quit Maine Road to return to Everton a couple of weeks before when City travelled to Anfield.
Liverpool were top of Division One while the Blues, now under the stewardship of Peter Reid, were motoring nicely in seventh.
Mark Ward put City ahead early in the second-half from the penalty spot, but Liverpool scored twice in the last 10 minutes to seemingly secure victory – until a corner in stoppage time found the head of Quinn whose effort cannoned off the underside of the crossbar and in to the delight of the travelling Blues and to secure a very creditable 2-2 draw.
December 1991: White Christmas
It was just four days before Christmas when City visited Anfield in 1991, buoyed by the previous season’s 2-2 draw.
This time, Peter Reid’s side looked to go one better and despite going behind to Dean Saunders’ first-half strike, the Blues hit back hard after the break.
The equaliser came when Niall Quinn nodded a long ball into the path of David White and the pacey City forward dashed between two Liverpool players to lob keeper Bruce Grobbelaar in front of The Kop and make it 1-1 on 48 minutes.
Seven minutes later, Quinn’s flick again put White in. Despite the acute angle, this time his high lob sailed over the home ‘keeper and in off the far post to put City 2-1 up.
Steve Nicol levelled on 83 but it was a good point against a good side.
December 1981: Boxing clever
City hadn’t won on their 18 previous visits to Anfield – a run stretching back to 1956 – when John Bond’s City travelled to Merseyside on an icy Boxing Day afternoon.
After seeing Asa Hartford’s header mysteriously chalked off early on, Hartford span his marker and drilled home from close range to send City in 1-0 up at the break.
The Blues doubled their lead when Phil Thompson pushed over Steve Kinsey’s shot and Kevin Bond converted the penalty.
Kinsey’s low cross was cleverly flicked by Reeves and the ball struck the post, then Bruce Grobbelaar and went in the net – technically and own goal by today’s rules, but Reeves was credited it with it.
Little did we know it would be 22 more years before we won at Anfield again!
