On Sunday afternoon, when Liverpool hosts Manchester City in the Premier League, the defending champions square up against the struggling contenders in a thrilling game at Anfield.
Team Form
Liverpool
Liverpool was left to regret several questionable refereeing decisions in last week’s 3-2 loss to the Gunners. Still, the Reds were a different kettle of fish for Rangers to manage in the Champions League as Arsenal and Man City continued to sail off into the distance.
In a 7-1 rout of the Scottish giants, Mohamed Salah achieved the quickest hat-trick in Champions League history.
Scott Arfield had given Rangers the lead early in the game. Still, Liverpool’s Egyptian king, Darwin Nunez, Harvey Elliott, and Roberto Firmino (2), completed a dramatic comeback for the team in red. Salah’s goals came in the game’s 75th, 80th, and 81st minutes.
Liverpool welcome Man City to Anfield with their unbeaten home record for 2022–23. Klopp’s team has now gone 27 top-flight games without suffering a loss at their Merseyside headquarters.
Liverpool PL Form: L W W D D L
? @LFC are unbeaten in their last 13 home matches against reigning #PL champions #LIVMCI pic.twitter.com/8sDIMni4eO
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 16, 2022
Manchester City
While eight goals were scored at Ibrox in midweek, there were none during Man City’s trip to Copenhagen. They were held to a scoreless draw by a team they had destroyed 5-0 just six days earlier.
Despite this, Pep Guardiola’s team only needed a point to secure their place in the round of 16, beginning yet another search for elusive European glory. However, Arsenal still has a one-point advantage in the Premier League, preventing them from overtaking them.
City enters the match against Liverpool on a three-game winning streak in the Premier League after defeating Southampton by a score of four. However, they have also dropped points against Aston Villa and Newcastle United away from home this season.
Man City PL Form: W W D W W W
Squad Report
Liverpool
Arthur Melo, Luis Diaz, Joel Matip, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are still out of the running for Liverpool in the crucial match on Sunday. However, Curtis Jones is still a possibility.
Andy Robertson entered the game off the bench in the Champions League victory over the Rangers. He is now ready to take Kostas Tsimikas’ spot at left-back, with Joe Gomez filling in for Alexander-Arnold on the other flank.
Due to a muscle issue, Ibrahima Konate has also recently become questionable. Therefore, Joe Gomez might go to the center of defense while James Milner fills in at right-back.
Back at Anfield this weekend ?#LIVMCI pic.twitter.com/qnEP3DgUMR
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 14, 2022
Man City
Guardiola has confirmed that Erling Braut Haaland will be good to lead the line despite being rested as a precaution in midweek. The Man City medical facility is far from being as crowded as Liverpool’s.
Aymeric Laporte will likely drop out of the defense as Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake returns, along with Manuel Akanji and Joao Cancelo. Still, the game will come too soon for the trio of John Stones, Kalvin Phillips, and Kyle Walker.
Liverpool’s possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Milner, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago; Salah, Firmino, Jota
Manchester City’s possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Cancelo, Akanji, Dias, Ake; Silva, Rodri, De Bruyne; Foden, Haaland, Grealish
Head to Head
With 221 games played between the two teams, Liverpool has a strong record versus Manchester City, winning 107 of those games to Manchester City’s 58.
In their history, Liverpool has never experienced a six-game winless streak against Manchester City.
Time, Date & Venue
Date: October 16, 2022
Time: 04:30 pm, BST
Venue: Anfield Stadium, Liverpool
Prediction
Goals are almost always specific in such a battle of the giants. Suppose Liverpool is to continue their illustrious unbeaten streak at Anfield. In that case, it will unquestionably need to compensate for its defensive shortcomings with offensive skills.
We can imagine the Reds losing in another thriller as the distance between the two clubs extends even further. A rested Haaland, however, would strike fear into the hearts of any defense.
