Pep Lijnders’ return to the Premier League has stirred emotions across Merseyside — and not the warm kind.
The former Liverpool assistant, once Klopp’s right-hand man, is now sitting beside Pep Guardiola in the Manchester City dugout. For Reds fans, it’s a sight many hoped they’d never see.
When Lijnders left Anfield in 2024, he made one thing very clear — he was done being an assistant.
“I will not assist anyone else, that’s the moment I will go and I will manage,” he told Liverpool’s official website.
He even repeated to FourFourTwo, “I will assist Jurgen and Jurgen only. After this project I will be my own manager.”
But less than a year later, the Dutchman has walked straight back into the assistant’s chair — this time beside Guardiola, Liverpool’s fiercest modern rival.
From promise to Pep — how the tables turned
After leaving Liverpool, Lijnders took charge of Red Bull Salzburg, hoping to make his name as a head coach. It was supposed to be his big break. But the dream ended early — he was reportedly sacked after just six months in charge.
That exit paved the way for his unexpected move to the Etihad. Guardiola, who had lost key assistants in the summer, moved quickly to bring in Lijnders, ex-Liverpool defender Kolo Toure, and former Reds analyst James French.
It’s a decision that’s shocked Liverpool supporters, especially with Lijnders now preparing to face the club he spent nearly a decade serving.
The 4:30 p.m. kickoff at the Etihad will be his first time in the opposite dugout — and the reception from traveling Reds fans might be anything but friendly.
Klopp’s surprising reaction
Despite the fan outrage, Jurgen Klopp seems to hold no grudge. On The Diary of a CEO podcast, he showed nothing but support:
“Absolutely no problem. I like both Peps, that’s how it is, no problem with that. I worked together with Pep Lijnders, he was an inspiration for me every day. Absolutely every day, I learned a lot from him.”
Klopp even added with a laugh:
“Come on, find a guy who worked together with Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp – I would read the book!”
Apparently, the respect between the two remains strong, even if the move feels like a betrayal to some fans. For Liverpool supporters, it’s a strange twist — one “Pep” too many on the blue side of Manchester.
Pep Lijnders’ career as a manager so far
| Club & Role | Appointed | In Charge Until | Matches | PPM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester City (Assistant Manager) | 10 Jun 2025 | Present | – | 0.00 |
| Red Bull Salzburg (Manager) | 1 Jul 2024 | 16 Dec 2024 | 28 | 1.64 |
| Liverpool FC (Assistant Manager) | 5 Jun 2018 | 30 Jun 2024 | – | 0.00 |
| NEC Nijmegen (Manager) | 3 Jan 2018 | 17 May 2018 | 22 | 1.68 |
| Liverpool FC (Assistant Manager) | 1 Jul 2015 | 2 Jan 2018 | – | 0.00 |
| Liverpool FC Youth (Manager) | 13 Aug 2014 | 30 Jun 2015 | – | 0.00 |
| FC Porto (Technical Coach) | 1 Jul 2013 | 12 Aug 2014 | – | 0.00 |
| FC Porto B (Technical Coach) | 1 Jul 2012 | 30 Jun 2013 | – | 0.00 |
| FC Porto U19 (Technical Coach) | 1 Jul 2008 | 30 Jun 2012 | – | 0.00 |
| PSV Eindhoven Youth (Technical Coach) | 1 Jul 2003 | 30 Jun 2007 | – | 0.00 |
Lijnders’ move from “You’ll Never Walk Alone” to Guardiola’s camp may feel like switching sides mid-match — and Reds fans are not ready to let it slide.
One thing’s certain: when he steps out at the Etihad against Liverpool, all eyes will be on the man who once said “never again.”