Manchester City welcome Liverpool to the Etihad Stadium in a blockbuster Super Sunday clash.
Man City can climb as high as sixth with victory whilst a win will see Liverpool return to the summit heading into the international break.
Team News
Man City have no fresh injury concerns as Sergio Aguero (knee), Fernandinho (leg) and Benjamin Mendy (unspecified) remain sidelined until after the international break.
Liverpool expect Diogo Jota to be available after recovering from a knock suffered during their midweek win at Atalanta.
Fabinho (hamstring), Thiago Alcantara, Virgil Van Dijk and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (all knee) remain absent.
Stat Attack
- Man City are unbeaten in three of their last five Premier League meetings against Liverpool (W2, D1, L2).
- Liverpool have won just one of their last five league trips to Man City (W1, D1, L3).
- City’s summer signing, Ferran Torres’ Premier League shooting accuracy of 66.67% so far this season is the same as Liverpool’s summer arrival – Diogo Jota, despite Torres having made four appearances to Jota’s five outings for the Reds.
- Kyle Walker’s winner against Sheffield Utd last weekend marked the first time that City had scored from outside the box this season in the Premier League.
- Liverpool’s Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander have made the most touches on the ball by any defender in the Premier League this season, producing 1407 touches in total between them of which Robertson made 704 touches to Alexander-Arnold’s 703.
Prediction
After producing two clinical displays in the last week against tough opposition, City will definitely have to be at their best here because although Liverpool are missing Virgil van Dijk, they seem to be coping fine judging by their midweek dominant performance at Atalanta.
Diogo Jota in particular will be a difficult ask to quieten because he showed impressive awareness to place himself in the right places to finish chances for Liverpool in midweek, so Man City’s defence will need to be alert despite their defensive inconsistencies this season.
I therefore am expecting City to need to reign in their pressing because if they press too high with aggressive attacking like they did last weekend at Sheffield United, I can see Liverpool comfortably winning this if the Citizens aren’t careful.
Prediction: Manchester City 1-2 Liverpool
Result: Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool