Forgotten careers of the stars of the Man City vs Liverpool showdown – Diogo Jota at Atletico Madrid, Kyle Walker playing with Robert Pires and Joao Cancelo under Gary Neville

Premier League title rivals Manchester City and Liverpool will collide this weekend in the biggest game of the season.

England's two best teams have enthralled fans with their unique rivalry for years headed by elite coaches Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.

11

With just one point separating the sides at the top of the table, the result of Sunday's showdown could prove pivotal in the title race.

City have won three of the last four Premier Leagues with Liverpool the only team to break their stronghold on the trophy.

When the two sides face each other a number of big stars will be on show but it could have been so different for several key players.

Every football fan is aware of the journey both Kevin de Bruyne and Mohamed Salah made from their Chelsea days to becoming Premier League superstars.

But what about the forgotten careers of some of the other stars lining up in City v Liverpool? marvelbet369.com takes a look...

Most read in Football

Club with over £500m to burn take first step towards record-breaking Bruno Fernandes bid

Premier League clubs eye Liverpool star who will cost over £40m

EFL club redesign logo and pay tribute to their city's 'iconic roundabouts'

How to watch Inter vs Barcelona for FREE as giants eye place in Champions League final

Diogo Jota - Atletico Madrid

Liverpool’s No. 20 has proved a revelation since his £41million move from Wolves in September 2020.

Jota followed Nuno Espirito Santo to Molineux after the pair worked together during the 2016/17 campaign at Porto.

However, the 25-year-old was only on loan at the Portuguese giants from Atletico Madrid - where he spent two years.

Jota never played a competitive game for Atleti but did manage to score against them in Liverpool's 2-0 Champions League win in November.

“I don’t regret (going to Atletico),” He told in 2020.

“They were playing in the Champions League final the season before. The opportunity to go there and have all the pre-season with them meant a lot to me and I learned a lot.

“Yes, I could have expected better but I don’t regret it. In the end, leaving was the best option for me at that time in terms of my career."

11

Loris Karius - Manchester City

The 28-year-old still remains under contract with Liverpool despite the fact that he hasn't played a game for them in four years.

The former Mainz goalkeeper joined the Merseyside giants in 2016 and made 49 appearances under Klopp - but none since his calamitous display in the 2018 Champions League final against Real Madrid.

Ironically it was a 4-3 win over City, where he spent two years as a youth player, in January 2018 that first started Karius' run as Liverpool's No. 1.

And now the German couldn't be any further from returning to the Etihad this Sunday as an option for the Reds.

11

11

Joao Cancelo - Valencia

The Portuguese makes Juventus' decision to cash in on him in a part exchange with Danilo look all the more baffling every game he plays.

But City do have two former Manchester United players to thank for his development as well considering the time Cancelo spent at Valencia.

The 27-year-old ultimately spent four years in Spain before moving to Italy - one of which he spent working under Phil Neville who was coach.

Several months were even spent under Gary's tutelage during his ill-fated Valencia stint and Cancelo impressed the United icon.

"I absolutely loved him when he was out there," said Neville on his .

Neville added: "I had him as a very young player at Valencia but you could just see exceptional talent.

"I made calls back to England - and you can imagine which club at the time - saying that if you are ever going to take a young player that is a young player you would take."

11

Fabinho - Real Madrid

The Brazilian arrived at Madrid's 'B' team with little fanfare considering the club already had Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo.

It was the Special One who handed Fabinho his first team debut in May 2013, as he emerged as a late substitute in a 6-2 win over Malaga.

The 28-year-old still managed to grab an assist for the final goal but he never played for Madrid again as he moved to Monaco.

Ironically it was the Champions League final defeat to Los Blancos that led to Liverpool springing to sign him less than 24 hours later.

Fabinho featured for the Reds against Madrid last season and opened up about the unusual way he found out he was heading to the Bernabeu.

11

“We arrived in Portugal, but I stayed around at Rio Ave for just two weeks, maybe three at the most,” Fabinho told .

“I had a barbecue with other Brazilians and then my agent called to say that Real Madrid Castilla [Real Madrid reserve team] needed a right-back and wanted to know if I was interested.

“Then one night, Lucio [Araujo, brother of former Chelsea and Barcelona midfielder Deco], came and told me to pack my things because Jorge Mendes was on his way by car in the early hours of the morning.

“I was like, ‘Is something wrong?’ Nobody said a word, but then at some point in the car, Mendes said we were travelling to Madrid and that I would sign for them.

“I called my mum in Brazil to tell her about that and she started to cry.

“No-one had expected something this huge to happen in such a short time. It was a very special moment for me.”

11

He continued: “We headed to the hotel in Madrid, and while I was still sleeping, I woke up to somebody knocking on the door.

“I looked through the peephole and couldn't believe it. It was Mendes and Jose Mourinho!

“I was still wearing my pyjamas, not at all prepared to meet him. I didn't even know what to say.

“He wanted to welcome me. I was still a bit shy and never thought I would meet him like that!"

Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker - Notts County and Aston Villa

City's £100m man recently joked on England duty that he was not as good as Jude Bellingham as a teenager considering he was in League One.

But to be fair to Grealish, he still managed five goals and seven assists during a memorable 2013/14 campaign at Notts County in what was his only temporary departure from his beloved Aston Villa.

And ironically he was briefly joined at the club by a future England and City teammate in Kyle Walker.

During several loan stints away from Tottenham before he broke into their first team, Walker ended up playing 15 games for Villa.

And his first ever Premier League goal came at Villa Park as he unleashed a stunning 30-yard pile-driver in a 2-2 draw with Fulham in 2011.

It also gave ex-Spurs defender Walker the chance to play alongside Arsenal icon Robert Pires in the nine games he featured for Villa.

11

John Stones - Barnsley

City made headlines around the world when they splashed £47.5m on the 22-year-old to sign him from Everton in 2016.

But the transfer also benefitted Barnsley, who had a sell-on clause when they allowed Stones to move to Goodison Park as a teenager.

He only spent a year at his hometown club after coming through the ranks at Oakwell such was the talent he boasted.

Bobby Hassell, who was Barnsley's captain when Stones was there, told : “In all honesty I don’t think the club realised how big a talent they had with John.

“Nothing had been spoken about in terms of this great young lad coming through, but he made a big impression during his first month of training with the first team.

“When we saw him, the senior pros, we did actually say that we thought the kid would go on and play Premier League and international football."

11

Harvey Elliott - QPR

Liverpool notably snapped up Elliott as a 16-year-old from Fulham after he became the youngest ever to make a Premier League appearance.

However, the winger was once part of the youth set up at Queens Park Rangers before swapping over to join their London rivals.

As a boyhood Red, Elliott even had the chance to walk out alongside then-QPR captain Joey Barton when Liverpool came to Loftus Road in 2012.

“My main hero I would say was Steven Gerrard,” Elliott told .

“I was lucky enough to meet him actually when I was a mascot for QPR vs. Liverpool – when Coates scored a scissor kick.

Read More on talkSPORT

Clean-shaven James Harden looks completely unrecognizable without his signature beard

Chris Eubank Jr under investigation after concerning videos before Conor Benn fight

“I was there and I was playing for QPR at the time and I was lucky I was able to be the mascot for Liverpool [game].

“To obviously meet my hero, I think I actually did get emotional after it as well.”

11

11