For Fans of Grudge Matches

Across the pond this weekend is a grudge match that has been nearly a year in the making happening. On Sunday Liverpool will travel to Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England to play last year's Premier League Champions Manchester City FC.

Manchester City players celebrate with the Cup after a win over West Ham clinched a second Premier League title in three years. Photo: AP

This is a grudge match on many levels, but most of all because last season was Liverpool's to win for a majority of the year. They dominated the competition in most every match behind fantastic attacking play by a group of young strikers and now-departed fan of mastication Luis Suarez. With that group of offensive talent plus a veteran mid-field led by Team Captain Steven Gerrard, Liverpool had what seemed like the perfect combination of youth and experience to finally bring a league title back to Anfield.

Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge, center, scores his side's first goal during the English FA Cup fifth round soccer match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool at Selhurst Park stadium in London, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

However a series of blunders let the title slip away from Liverpool and Manchester City, who had laid in wait in the second spot, snatched the title away, Sunday has had a red circle around it in almost every Premier League fan's calender.

The team's might not look exactly the same with both teams acquiring new players over the summer and old players leaving either through transfer or by retirement, but expect everyone in the stadium and especially the players to know just how important this game is to both team's seasons.

For the curious but clueless about the Premier League and just what the big deal is about English soccer, this is a game to watch to see what all the true rivalry is about. In a earlier post I suggested you watch Champions League soccer, which is the biggest international tournament in club soccer, but if you want to see real passion and pageantry that rivals what we see on Saturdays in the fall with college football, you should pay attention to the Premier League.