Former Premier League referee Graham Scott has revealed the deep mutual respect between Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp during their iconic Manchester City-Liverpool rivalry. Scott, who worked as a fourth official during their encounters, said the two managers never came close to clashing on the touchline.
Respect between elite managers
Speaking on the Undr the Cosh podcast, Scott described the atmosphere when the two coaches met. "I actually found that when, I mean, the real elite managers, obviously Klopp and Pep absolutely were, that there was so much respect there," he said. "You could feel the respect between them. They were never actually going to go at each other."
Scott contrasted their behaviour with that of managers of lower-placed teams facing bigger clubs. "When a big team is at home, somehow, the manager of a lower-placed team, they're all big clubs, but the lower-placed team can be a little bit cowed and respectful," he explained. "They're quieter than they are when they're at home and they've got their own environment. When they're at home to the big clubs, they tend to be a bit more like that."
Title battles defined an era
Klopp and Guardiola oversaw one of the Premier League's greatest rivalries as Liverpool and Manchester City battled for supremacy. City edged Liverpool by a single point in the 2018/19 season, with Liverpool responding by winning the title the following year. The 2021/22 campaign saw City again finish top by one point.
Guardiola's side secured a fourth consecutive league title as Klopp departed Liverpool in 2024. Their head-to-head record across 30 meetings in all competitions saw Klopp claim 12 victories to Guardiola's 11.
Reaction to City verdict
City were recently found guilty of all financial charges brought by the Premier League covering 2009 to 2018, though the club have appealed. Klopp, now Germany manager, offered a measured response: "Of course I've heard about that, but I haven't given it much thought. I can only wait and see. I have big respect for Pep Guardiola and City's style of football; they played fantastic football and were a top class opponent for us."
Guardiola had previously paid tribute to Klopp upon his Liverpool departure in 2024. "I will sleep better [when Klopp goes]. The games we play before against Liverpool were almost a nightmare," he said. "Of course he will be missed. It was a shock [to hear the news]. I felt when I heard it that a part of Man City … we will lose something. We cannot define our period here without him … without Liverpool. Impossible."
He added: "They have been our biggest rivals. And personally he [Klopp] has been the best rival I ever had in my life – in Dortmund when I was in Bayern, then here. I think the Premier League are going to miss him – the charisma, the personality and especially the way his teams play."
