Liverpool face a huge Super Sunday showdown as they welcome title rivals, Manchester City to Anfield in a huge top of Premier League clash.
Liverpool can go eight points clear of second-placed Leicester with a win whereas City will reclaim second place from the Foxes if they can take victory.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesJordan Henderson could return to midfield for Liverpool after illness kept him out of their Champions League win over KRC Genk in midweek.
Xherdan Shaqiri (calf) and Joel Matip (knee) won’t be available but could return after the international break, whilst Nathaniel Clyne is still absent with a long-term knee injury.
Man City could be without Ederson due to an undisclosed injury, with Claudio Bravo or Scott Carson set to deputise in goal instead.
David Silva (muscle) and Rodrigo (hamstring) however could return if they can pass late fitness tests.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, Aymeric Laporte and Leroy Sane are all ruled out as they continue to recover from knee injuries.
Form
Liverpool enter this match still unbeaten domestically with just the two dropped points, although they have conceded once in all five home league games whilst keeping just two clean sheets which both came on the road.
Man City are unbeaten in their last six games across all competitions despite conceding in their last four, although they have kept just one clean sheet in their last four away league games.
Stat Attack
- Liverpool have lost just one of their last five competitive meetings with Manchester City – excluding the Community Shield in August (W3, D1, L1).
- Man City are winless in their last 20 trips to Anfield in all competitions (D7, L13).
- One more assist from Kevin Bruyne will see him record at least ten assists for the first time since the 2017-18 season, having recorded just two last season due to various injuries.
- Coming into this weekend, Trent Alexander Arnold was the only player to have managed a century of crosses this season with 129 crosses in 11 appearances this season.
- 19.8% of Liverpool’s 187 shots this season have come from Mohamed Salah in comparison to Sergio Aguero producing just 15.4% of Man City’s 240 shots, although both strikers had produced a joint league high 37 shots this season coming into this weekend.
Prediction
If there’s one thing that we are certain of in this game, it is that we will definitely see goals because both teams play a high line which has exposed them on too many occasions already this season.
Liverpool however are currently in strong form so I am expecting them to continue their high pressing style, which makes me worry for Man City because we currently can’t predict what team to expect given their inconsistencies in defence.
I am also concerned about Pep Guardiola’s mental approach to this game because he is clearly rattled and given that he didn’t disclose Ederson’s injury, I genuinely wonder if it is a fake news mind game tactic which is quite worrying if the Brazilian does start.
A huge factor in who wins this therefore is going to come down to who is in City’s goal because if it’s Bravo or Carson, I can see Liverpool winning but if its Ederson then a draw would be a good bet.
Prediction: Liverpool 1-1 Manchester City
Result: Liverpool 3-1 Manchester City