GRAB your popcorn football fans as Liverpool and Manchester City face off in a Premier League match which could have huge implications on where the title ends up in May.
Both English giants had to sit back and watch Arsenal jump above them following their gruelling 2-1 win over London rivals Brentford.
But three points for either side this afternoon would see them climb up to top spot with just ten games to play in this thrilling season.
- Kick-off time: 3:45pm
- Live stream: NOW TV
- TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event / Premier League
- Liverpool starting XI: Van Dijk; Bradley, Quansah, Van Dijk, Gomez; Szoboszlai, Endo, Mac Allister; Elliot, Nunez, Diaz
- Man City starting XI: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Akanji, Ake, Rodri, Silva, De Bruyne, Alvarez, Foden, Haaland
- Explainer: Why did the game kick-off at 3:45pm?
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Liverpool 0-0 Man City
21. Man City are knocking the ball around and trying to slow down play.
They look a little unsure of themselves when Liverpool play their high-tempo football, a trademark of a Jurgen Klopp side.
Pep Guardiola continues to bark instructions from the touchline.
Liverpool 0-0 Man City
19. Walker has been penalised for fouls twice now as he looks to drop into the centre of midfield.
The referee is trying to let the game flow but you feel the next time he will see yellow.
Nunez makes a run and squares it for Diaz to knock it into an empty net but the flag goes up for offside.
Liverpool 0-0 Man City
17. Diaz gets to run at the Man City defence for the first time.
He clips a cross into the box but Nunez cannot adjust to send his header towards goal.
This is more like it from Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Credit: Reuters
Liverpool 0-0 Man City
15. Liverpool are starting to knock the ball around more now.
Making Man City chase it as they look to press high up the pitch.
Nunez takes up a wide position and drills a ball towards Szoboszlai but the midfielder cannot get it under control.
Liverpool 0-0 Man City
13. It is rare in these games to see the away team dominating in the early stages of the match.
Bradley gets forward for the first time and puts a teasing ball across the six yard box.
Nunez slides in at the back post but cannot reach it, colliding with the post instead.
Liverpool 0-0 Man City
11. Man City are looking to take this game to Liverpool today.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are failing to hold onto possession currently.
They need to ask more questions of the visitors’ defence.
Liverpool 0-0 Man City
9. An early chance for the visitors as De Bruyne looks to lift the ball over Kelleher but it narrowly misses the far post.
Moments later, City are coming forward again and the Belgian playmaker tries his luck from distance but Kelleher beats it away.
Pep Guardiola’s side are trying to turn the screw in the early stages.
Liverpool 0-0 Man City
7. The fans are making themselces heard, getting behind their team.
A loose clearance by Ederson almost gifts the ball to The Reds.
Walker is looking lively in the early exchanges, using his pace to cover balls in behind the defence.
Credit: Reuters Liverpool 0-0 Man City
5. De Bruyne gets down the right flank and crosses into the box.
It is too deep for anyone to attack and Alvarez recycles the ball.
Liverpool’s defence stands firm as they look to counter.
Liverpool 0-0 Man City
3. The whistles and jeers ring out when Man City have the ball.
Alvarez has the first sight of goal but his left-footed shot is saved easily by Kelleher.
It maybe a little different this time around with the visitors seeing far more possession than you would usually expect in these games.
Liverpool 0-0 Man City
1. The wait is over, this crucial match is finally upon us.
Nunez is making some runs into the channels early on, looking to stretch the visitors’ defence.
Games do not get much bigger than this one.
Kick-off: Liverpool vs Man City
We are underway at Anfield.
As you can imagine, it is a cauldron of noise as ever.
Liverpool get the game started.
The one they all want to own
In case anyone needed reminding what the importance of this game has on the title race, the trophy itself is pitchside.
While this game won’t win either side the crown, it will act as a springboard for the run in.
If Man City want to make it four in a row, they need to come through this difficult Anfield challenge unscathed today.
Credit: Getty Klopp’s side come into game as underdogs
Man City are fancied to come away from Anfield with all three points.
Liverpool – 9/4
Draw – 13/5
Manchester City – 11/10
All match odds brought to you by Betway.
Atmosphere building at Anfield
It will be an intimidating place to come as ever for the visitors today.
As we edge closer to kick-off, tensions are building.
It will be a cauldron of noise at Anfield when the whistle gets us underway.
Credit: Getty Credit: Reuters
Arsenal laying marker to rivals
Having gone top of the table with a late victory against Brentford yesterday, it is over to these two teams today.
Only victory would take either Liverpool or Man City to the summit of the Premier League.
The stakes could not be higher for this crucial match in the title race.
A tale of two strikers
Whoever comes out on top this afternoon will need their strikers on top form.
One of the exciting things about this crucial match is both sides have forwards who are at the top of their game right now.
Nobody would fancy being a defender today.
Man City subs:
18. Ortega, 3. Dias, 8. Kovacic, 11. Doku, 21. Gomez, 24. Gvardiol, 27. Nunes, 52. Bobb, 82. Lewis
Man City starting XI:
Both Doku and Nunes make the bench following injury concerns for this top-of-the-table clash.
31. Ederson, 2. Walker, 5. Stones, 25. Akanji, 6. Ake, 16. Rodri, 17. De Bruyne, 20. Bernardo, 19. Alvarez, 9. Haaland, 47. Foden
Credit: @ManCity Liverpool subs:
13. Adrian, 11. Salah, 18. Gakpo, 21. Tsimikas, 26. Robertson, 42. Clark, 53. McConnell, 65. Nallo, 67. Koumas
Liverpool starting XI:
The big news is that there is no Mohamed Salah in the starting line-up and Andrew Robertson is also on the bench.
62. Kelleher, 2. Gomez, 4. Van Dijk, 78. Quansah, 84. Bradley, 10. Mac Allister, 3. Endo, 8. Szoboszlai, 19. Elliott, 9. Nunez, 7. Diaz
Credit: @LFC
Home is where the heart is
Under their current managers, these two teams have faced each other twenty times.
The away side has only ever won twice in all of these encounters.
If the trend continues today, it would be a huge statement by Klopp’s inexperienced side that they are ready to win the title one last time for their manager.
Injury-ravaged Reds facing ultimate test
While Liverpool have managed to continue winning even without a lot of their star players due to injury, the visit of Man City will be the ultimate test today.
With three clubs locked in a title battle, three points could be the springboard for either of these teams to go on and win the Premier League this season.
Arsenal went top of the league yesterday with a late winner against Brentford, putting pressure on both of these sides today.
End of an era
Unless the pair were drawn together in this season’s FA Cup, we may be witnessing the end of a historic era of Premier League football.
Today’s game could be the final time Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola face each other, something that has elevated the competition in recent years.
Both managers would love nothing more to get one over the other for one last time.
Credit: Reuters Team news from Anfield
Liverpool will be without Ben Doak, Joel Matip, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson Becker, Stefan Bajcetic, Thiago Alcantara, Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch through injury.
A welcome sight during the week was the substitute appearance of Mohamed Salah who is likely to be involved this afternoon, possibly from the bench.
Ibrahima Konate will have a late fitness test after he hobbled off in the victory over Sparta Prague on Thursday.
For Man City, Matheus Nunes suffered a dislocated finger against Copenhagen but is likely to be on the bench for today’s game.
Jeremy Doku also did not play in the second leg after complaining about muscular issues, it is doubtful he will be involved today and Jack Grealish is out with a groin issue.
Guardiola rested Phil Foden, Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Nathan Ake to get a complete rest in midweek and if Doku is not fit for today, he is likely to be replaced by Alvarez.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
