Jurgen Klopp vs Pep Guardiola: Head-to-head record

  • Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have met plenty of times in Germany and England
  • There is no manager that Klopp or Guardiola has faced more often than one another
  • The current Liverpool and Man City coaches have clashed on 29 occasions

Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have come head-to-head in two countries
Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have come head-to-head in two countries / Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
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There's no disputing that Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola are two of the best managers the game has ever seen.

Since 2013, the two have gone head-to-head every year except for one - firstly as managers of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, and then in the Premier League as bosses of Liverpool and Manchester City.

The two have completely contrasting styles of play; Klopp's a relentless pressing game that is high octane, fast-paced and in your face, Guardiola's a slower methodical tiki-taka brand of football that relies on exceptional skill, vision and craft.

What's great about their philosophies is that when they clash, it's usually a fantastic spectacle - with both managers enjoying their fair share of success.

Here are all 29 meetings between the two elite managers.


1. Borussia Dortmund 4-2 Bayern Munich (27/07/13)

Marco Reus, Ilkay Guendogan
Dortmund beat Bayern in the DFL Supercup / Boris Streubel/GettyImages

The first meeting between the two managers in the DFL Supercup set an exceptionally high bar in terms of standard.

Marco Reus scored twice for Klopp and Dortmund before Ilkay Gundogan and a Daniel Van Buyten own goal cancelled out Arjen Robben's double, handing Guardiola defeat in his first competitive game as Bayern boss.


2. Borussia Dortmund 0-3 Bayern Munich (23/11/13)

Gotze scored on his return to Signal Iduna Park after a controversial move
Gotze scored on his return to Signal Iduna Park after a controversial move / PATRIK STOLLARZ/Getty Images

After losing the Champions League final the previous season to Bayern, Dortmund also lost their superstar playmaker to the Bavarians in the summer.

Mario Gotze returned to Signal Iduna Park the following season under Guardiola and scored the opening goal after coming on as a substitute in a 3-0 win.


3. Bayern Munich 0-3 Borussia Dortmund (12/04/14)

Mkhitaryan got a goal as Klopp got revenge
Mkhitaryan got a goal as Klopp got revenge / CHRISTOF STACHE/Getty Images

The reverse fixture in the league later that season saw Klopp's side exact their revenge, with a 3-0 win of their own thanks to goals from Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Marco Reus and Jonas Hofmann.


4. Borussia Dortmund 0-2 Bayern Munich (AET) (17/05/14)

Bayern Munich celebrate
Can you guess who won? / Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

The season started with a trophy on the line and it ended with the German Cup final. This time, though, Guardiola came out on top.

It took 107 minutes of action to break the deadlock before Robben tapped in from a Jerome Boateng cross, and Thomas Muller wrapped the win up in the 123rd minute for Guardiola's second trophy in Germany.


5. Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Bayern Munich (13/08/14)

DFL Supercup 2014 - "Borussia Dortmund v FC Bayern Munich"
Dortmund managed another Supercup win / VI-Images/GettyImages

The second DFL Supercup meeting between Klopp and Guardiola saw Dortmund lift the trophy for the second year in a row against a weakened Bayern team.

Goals from Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in either half won it for the Black and Yellows.


6. Bayern Munich 2-1 Borussia Dortmund (01/11/14)

Lewandowski followed Gotze and swapped yellow for red
Lewandowski followed Gotze and swapped yellow for red / CHRISTOF STACHE/Getty Images

After his contract came to an end with Dortmund, Robert Lewandowski signed for Bayern Munich.

After losing his first game against his former club in the Supercup, the Pole started up front as Guardiola's side came from behind to win 2-1 - with Robben scoring a penalty to wrap up the points.


7. Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Bayern Munich (04/04/15)

Lewandowski scored on his return to Signal Iduna Park
Lewandowski scored on his return to Signal Iduna Park / CHRISTOF STACHE/Getty Images

On his first Bundesliga return to Signal Iduna Park, Lewandowski proved to be the match winner.

A first half header was enough to give his new side the three points as Bayern strolled to another title, while Dortmund faltered to seventh place.


8. Bayern Munich 1-1 Borussia Dortmund (0-2 pens) (28/04/15)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Marco Reus, Jakub Blaszczykowski, Erik Durm
Dortmund celebrate Aubameyang's goal / Boris Streubel/GettyImages

A few weeks later the sides met in the DFB Pokal semi-finals, but this time it was Klopp's team who came out on top.

Lewandowski scored again, before Aubameyang equalised and the teams battled to a stalemate that led to a penalty shootout. It was awful, as Bayern missed all their spot-kicks and Dortmund went on to lose the final to Wolfsburg.

Congratulations to everyone involved.


9. Liverpool 1-0 Manchester City (31/12/16)

Georginio Wijnaldum, Jurgen Klopp
Wijnaldum was the winner for the Reds / Clive Brunskill/GettyImages

The two went their seperate ways for 20 months before meeting again in the Premier League as managers of Liverpool and Manchester City respectively.

It was Klopp who came out on top in this meeting, thanks to a Gini Wijnaldum header.


10. Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool (19/03/17)

Sergio Aguero, Simon Mignolet
It ended all square at the Etihad / Michael Regan/GettyImages

The two met again at the Etihad Stadium a few months later and battled to a hard fought 1-1 draw, thanks to goals from Sergio Aguero and former City man James Milner.


11. Manchester City 5-0 Liverpool (09/09/17)

Sadio Mane
Mane cost Liverpool with his red card / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages

A highly anticipated fixture between two teams expected to challenge for honours was spoilt early on after Sadio Mane was sent off for a high boot on goalkeeper Ederson.

Guardiola's side controlled the game from then on and strolled to a dominant 5-0 win, thanks to a goal from Sergio Aguero and a brace each from Gabriel Jesus and Leroy Sane.


12. Liverpool 4-3 Manchester City (14/01/18)

FBL-ENG-PR-LIVERPOOL-MAN CITY
A thriller at Anfield / OLI SCARFF/GettyImages

The Reds got their revenge later that season with a dominant win of their own at Anfield.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain opened the scoring before Leroy Sane equalised just before half-time. Then a goal from each of Liverpool famed front three in an eight minute second half spell sealed all three points, although late goals from Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan made it a nervy ending.


13. Liverpool 3-0 Manchester City (04/04/18)

Sadio Mane
Liverpool romped to a stunning win / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages

A few months later the two sides clashed in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, and Klopp seemingly found the remedy for playing against Guardiola teams.

Goals from Mohamed Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane inside the first half hour were enough to seal a thumping first leg win for Liverpool.


14. Manchester City 1-2 Liverpool (10/04/18)

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Andy Robertson, Roberto Firmino, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil Van Dijk, Mohamed Salah
Liverpool marched into the semi-final / Laurence Griffiths/GettyImages

The second leg was all set up for fireworks and that's exactly what we got.

Gabriel Jesus scored after just two minutes for Man City, before the Blues had a perfectly reasonable goal ruled out for a 'foul' on the goalkeeper.

Liverpool weathered the storm and goals from Salah and Firmino got them a second leg win at the Etihad as they went on to reach the final, where they lost to Real Madrid.


15. Liverpool 0-0 Manchester City (07/10/18)

Riyad Mahrez
Mahrez's penalty flew over the bar / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages

In what would turn out to be a record breaking season for Man City and Liverpool, the two sides cancelled each other out at Anfield in the Premier League in their first meeting.

Riyad Mahrez missed an injury time penalty as the points were shared.


16. Manchester City 2-1 Liverpool (03/01/19)

Leroy Sane, Bernardo Silva, Sergio Aguero
A crucial win for City in the title race / Clive Brunskill/GettyImages

In the game that ultimately won Manchester City at the title at the end of the season, this was one of the tensest ties in recent history between the two managers.

John Stones made a goal-line clearance at 0-0 that was literally millimetres away from being counted before Sergio Aguero opened the scoring. Firmino got an equaliser before Sane's winner with 18 minutes remaining handed Guardiola a huge win.


17. Liverpool 1-1 Manchester City (4-5 pens) (04/08/19)

Raheem Sterling, David Silva, John Stones, Kyle Walker and...
Man City claimed some more silverware / SOPA Images/GettyImages

A glorified friendly to open the season, but both teams wanted to win to get a mental edge over their rivals.

The game ended level after 90 minutes, with Joel Matip cancelling out Raheem Sterling's opener before City won the penalty shootout thanks to Claudio Bravo's save from Wijnaldum.


18. Liverpool 3-1 Manchester City (10/11/19)

Fabinho
Fabinho's strike got the Reds off the mark / Laurence Griffiths/GettyImages

As Liverpool romped to the Premier League title, they showed no mercy against all opposition including Guardiola's Man City side.

Fabinho scored a belter from outside the box before Salah and Mane headed Liverpool into a 3-0 lead. Bernardo Silva pulled one back but it was too late as the Reds moved eight points clear at the top.


19. Manchester City 4-0 Liverpool (02/07/20)

Phil Foden
Man City beat a hungover Liverpool / Visionhaus/GettyImages

Liverpool's dominance was so great in this season that by the time they met Man City again, they were already champions.

City sought to make a statement against the new champions and did so with a 4-0 thrashing thanks to goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Sterling and a brace from Phil Foden.


20. Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool (08/11/20)

Gabriel Jesus
Gabriel Jesus was on the scoresheet for City / CLIVE BRUNSKILL/Getty Images

Earlier this season the two sides met and it was a tale of two penalties that ultimately settled the game.

Salah opened the scoring from the spot after Kyle Walker fouled Mane, before Jesus equalised for the home side. De Bruyne's cross hit Joe Gomez's hand to give City a penalty too, but the Belgian put his spot kick wide and the points were shared.


21. Liverpool 1-4 Manchester City (07/02/21)

Phil Foden
City taught a depleted Liverpool a lesson / Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

When City beat Liverpool, they often go big - and that was the case again Jurgen Klopp's injury depleted side were ripped limb from limb at Anfield.

The Reds had no defenders, pretty much, and Alisson Becker had a rare stinker in goal. Phil Foden also announced himself in a big way, scoring a sensational goal to put the gloss on a wonderful performance from team Pep.


22. Liverpool 2-2 Manchester City (03/10/21)

Mohamed Salah
Salah fired home superbly from a tight angle / Michael Regan/GettyImages

By far and away the two best teams in the country, Liverpool and City served up another treat at Anfield as four goals were evenly shared.

Liverpool had their noses in front twice, thanks to Mane and Salah - the latter's a superb goal with his weaker foot - but Pep's City fought back on each occasion as Foden again netted on Merseyside before Kevin De Bruyne bagged a vital point.


23. Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool (10/04/22)

Kevin De Bruyne
De Bruyne had City in front / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages

With the Premier League title (kind of) on the line, City and Liverpool again contested a game of supreme quality - but for the second time during 2021/22 nothing could separate the two.

De Bruyne's deflected effort gave City the lead before Diogo Jota pulled Liverpool level. Gabriel Jesus punished some slack defending to restore the lead but Mane once more got in the act, punishing some early second half sloppiness to make it honours even.


24. Manchester City 2-3 Liverpool (16/04/22)

Sadio Mane, Trent Alexander-Arnold
Mane improved his stellar record against City / Marc Atkins/GettyImages

Less than a week later it was down to Wembley for an FA Cup semi-final in the sun - and the two teams didn't disappoint again.

Liverpool were the ones to come flying out of the traps, and they took an early lead through Ibrahima Konate's towering header. A moment of utter madness from Zack Steffen then allowed Mane to double the advantage, before the Senegalese made it three on the stroke of half-time - firing home a superb volley to bag his 10th goal against City.

Pep's troops rallied in the second half but goals from Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva weren't enough to quash Liverpool's quadruple dreams.


25. Liverpool 3-1 Manchester City (30/07/22)

Darwin Nunez, Fabio Carvalho
Darwin Nunez got one over on Erling Haaland / Mike Hewitt/GettyImages

Liverpool won the first battle of the 2022/23 season between the two sides, getting revenge for their 2019 Community Shield defeat to Man City.

There were contrasting debuts for Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez, the former missing several great opportunities and the latter scoring Liverpool's third to secure a hard-fought victory.

Alexander-Arnold had given the Reds the lead, with Salah's penalty putting Liverpool back ahead after Julian Alvarez's equaliser.


26. Liverpool 1-0 Manchester City (16/10/22)

Mohamed Salah, Ederson
Salah scored a sensational winner for the Reds / Laurence Griffiths/GettyImages

After a dismal start to the Premier League campaign, some were expecting Man City to trounce Liverpool at Anfield in the season's second meeting, especially with Haaland in devastating form.

However, despite a controversial disallowed goal for Man City with the game goalless, Liverpool ran out winners after a stoic defensive performance.

Following Alisson's long kick up field, Salah turned Joao Cancelo wonderfully on the halfway line, racing through on goal before sliding past Ederson to give the Reds the win.


27. Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool (22/12/22)

Riyad Mahrez
Man City beat Liverpool in a five-goal Carabao Cup affair / Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/GettyImages

The fourth round of the 2022/23 Carabao Cup served up a blockbuster tie when Liverpool travelled to Man City.

Goals from Fabio Carvalho and Salah twice brought the Reds back into the game, but strikes from Haaland, Mahrez and Nathan Ake were enough to send the Cityzens into the next round.

Despite a big win over Klopp, Guardiola couldn't guide City to another Carabao Cup.


28. Manchester City 4-1 Liverpool (01/04/23)

Jack Grealish
Man City eased past a woeful Liverpool / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages

Despite Liverpool taking the lead against Man City through Salah, the Reds were on the end of a humbling defeat at the Etihad last April.

On their way to the Premier League title, goals from Alvarez, De Bruyne, Gundogan and Jack Grealish helped Guardiola's side to a dominant win over a sorry Liverpool side.


29. Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool (25/11/2023)

Trent Alexander-Arnold
Liverpool celebrate Trent Alexander-Arnold's equaliser / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages

Both managers were unhappy when City's home clash with Liverpool was slated for the early kick-off straight after the international break, and the lack of preparation showed in a relatively lacklustre 1-1 draw.

City drew blood first, thanks to Erling Haaland's record-breaking 50th Premier League goal, but the champions were unable to get the all important second before Trent Alexander-Arnold fire home from an angle to take a point back to Merseyside.


30. Liverpool 1-1 Manchester City

Luis Diaz
Liverpool missed a hatful of second half chances to beat City at Anfield / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages

The end of an era.

With Klopp announcing his decision to leave Liverpool at the end of the 2023/24 season, this could go down as the last time the two managers butted heads on English soil.

It was yet another frenetic encounter laden with momentum swings. City started superbly and took a first half lead through John Stones, but Nathan Ake's short backpass set the tone for a Red barrage in the second half. Alexis Mac Allister equalised from the penalty spot and after City just about weathered a rampant Liverpool storm, either side could've won it at the death.


Jurgen Klopp vs Pep Guardiola H2H record

  • Jurgen Klopp: 12 wins
  • Pep Guardiola: 11 wins
  • Draws: 7

Goals scored

  • Teams managed by Klopp: 47
  • Teams managed by Guardiola: 48

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