Javelin thrower Steve Backley won two Olympic silver medals in which he was defeated by his eternal rival Jan Zelezny. The same thing happened at the athletics world championships.
Backley got used to being made fun of. It was suggested on the television program They Think It’s All Over that the United Kingdom should declare war on the Czech Republic as the only way to prevent Zelezny from finishing first.
Jurgen Klopp would understand the frustration of having a sporting enemy. He could be seen leaving Anfield this summer muttering darkly about Pep Guardiola. One hopes it doesn’t ruin his gap year when he’s supposed to relax and recharge.
Klopp is undoubtedly one of the great managers of his generation and has more titles than most, including a Premier League title and a Champions League.
He is adored on Merseyside, but there is still the nagging question of what he would have won if he had not been unlucky to manage at the same time as Manchester City’s King Pep.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp must be cursing Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola
Guardiola’s City is on its way to the title, after Liverpool lost to Crystal Palace
With Liverpool losing at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday, this season’s title race threatens to follow the same pattern as the rest of the box office rivalry between Pep and Jurgen.
No matter how brilliant Klopp is, Guardiola always seems to finish a point or a position ahead.
Klopp’s scoring at Liverpool in 2019, 2020 and 2022 was never surpassed by Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United or Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal. However, Fergie won 13 leagues to Klopp’s current tally of one.
In 2019, Liverpool finished with 97 points and City got 98. In 2022, Liverpool finished with 92 points and City got 93.
Klopp won the league in 2020 with an incredible 99 points. It was the second most points in English league history but of course Pep holds the record with a hundred.
This season, Klopp brilliantly kept Liverpool in the title race and won the Carabao Cup despite being without a dozen key players for significant periods due to injuries.
Liverpool had lost just two league games out of 31 before Sunday.
But that very rare slip against Palace could still be enough to be fatal with City unbeaten in 27 games in all competitions and now two points ahead of Arsenal and Liverpool.
Liverpool’s rare slip-up against Palace could prove hugely costly in title race
Klopp will have to be brave when it comes to rotating his team for the remainder of the season
Klopp cannot be blamed for becoming sick at the sight of his rival, although there is clearly great respect between them.
Liverpool could have a bigger squad than City, especially with the progress of Klopp’s Kids this season.
But Guardiola can make bolder decisions to rotate among elite players to keep everyone fresh.
Erling Haaland was rested for the victory against Aston Villa. Phil Foden scored a hat-trick in that match, but was left out of the next one at Crystal Palace. Kevin De Bruyne did not play against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu.
It is a bold move that Klopp may have to follow if he is to overtake Guardiola now that City also have a superior goal difference.
The Merseysiders cannot afford to drop points in any of their remaining six games.
The players Klopp wants for the Premier League double-header at Fulham (Sunday) and Everton (Wednesday) should be spared the midweek trip to Atalanta with Liverpool trailing 3-0 in the first leg.
‘We have a series of away games. It was going to be tough anyway,” the Liverpool manager surmises as he thinks about what to do next.
‘We have players who have had to play a lot and others who have been interrupted by injury. “We just have to find a way to beat the specific opponents in front of us.”
Klopp’s farewell tour to Liverpool in danger of being overshadowed by Guardiola
Klopp’s farewell tour enters its final weeks. He has given a lot to the city of Liverpool and English football. If he can muster enough energy to become league champion again from now on, it will be the greatest achievement of him.
Otherwise, he will have to accept another silver or bronze, while Guardiola returns to collect the gold.