LIVERPOOL host Manchester City in a blockbuster Premier League clash – and the action is unfolding NOW!
Pep Guardiola’s side have lost FIVE of their previous six matches in all competitions which includes letting a 3-0 lead slip at home to Feyenoord on Tuesday night.
After a poor run of form, the Premier League champions find themselves eight points behind today’s hosts, who are sitting rather comfortably at the top of the table.
Arne Slot’s Reds are on an incredible run of form – and their tails will be wagging following last Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions League victory over holders Real Madrid.
- Kick-off time: 4pm GMT
- Live stream: NOW TV
- TV channels: Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Premier League
- Liverpool team: Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Gakpo, Luis Diaz, Salah
- Man City team: Ortega Moreno, Walker, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Lewis, Gundogan, Nunes, Bernardo, Foden, Haaland
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Liverpool 0-0 Man City
5. Gundogan is dispossessed in the middle of the park.
Liverpool swarm the City defence and Diaz slots it through to Gakpo.
He cuts inside and gets a shot away but Ortega makes a smart save down to his right.
The flag then goes up for offside, a wake up call for the visitors.
Credit: Getty Liverpool 0-0 Man City
3. Salah picks the ball up on the right and stands his marker up before dropping his shoulder and cutting onto his left.
He puts in a teasing, curling ball into the back post but it just has a bit too much on it for Gakpo.
The Reds are showing their attacking intent in this game already.
Liverpool 0-0 Man City
1. Super Sunday does not get much bigger than this.
It proves to be a crucial match in this season’s title race.
The ground is absolutely bouncing at Anfield.
Kick-off: Liverpool vs Man City
We are underway at Anfield.
It is an intimidating atmosphere as you would expect.
Liverpool get the game started.
Fixture favours the hosts
In the 54 matches that have been played between these two clubs, only 6 have been won by the visiting team.
Man City are going to have to produce a memorable performance.
The test of a great side is how you deal with adversity.
Liverpool have a chance to dominate the midfield and add to Pep Guardiola’s woes this afternoon.
Credit: Getty Visitors need batten down the hatches
Man City will be expecting to have to deal with a barrage of Liverpool attacks in the opening half an hour of this game.
How they cope with this will be pivotal to the outcome.
As cliche as it is, the first goal is critical this afternoon and when it is scored.
City look to build a wall
It is not often that you see Pep Guardiola play five at the back.
Such is the attacking prowess of Arne Slot’s side that the visitors are having to compensate.
That could backfire if you concede early goals as you can sink without a trace if having to chase a game with so many defensive options on the pitch.
Seeking divine help at Anfield
In their worst run of form under the Spanish manager, Pep Guardiola says a few prayers before today’s game.
Depending on which way you see it, this is possibly the worst or best fixture they could have given their current plight.
I would lean towards the former rather than the latter.
Credit: EPA Premier League full-time scores
Some important results at the top of the table before we head into the crunch match between Liverpool and Man City.
Chelsea 3-0 Aston Villa
Man Utd 4-0 Everton
Tottenham 1-1 Fulham
Reds fancied to extend lead
The bookies have Liverpool as firm favourites for this one:
Liverpool – 23/20
Draw – 13/5
Manchester City – 11/5
All match odds brought to you by Betway.
Liverpool looking to write a new history
Liverpool have won only one of the past nine Premier League meetings, 1-0 at home in October 2022.
However, Manchester City have triumphed on just two of their 27 Premier League visits to Anfield.
Both Premier League meetings last season ended in a 1-1 draw.
The biggest of clashes at Anfield
This game is so important for both teams for very different reasons.
Pep Guardiola will see an unlikely victory as the best way to stop the rot with his squad currently winless in six games.
Liverpool on the other hand can go 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a win today.
Trent STARTS for hosts
Trent Alexander-Arnold starts for the first time in three weeks after the 26-year-old was unavailable due to a hamstring injury.
The right-back was back in the Liverpool squad against Real Madrid in midweek but was an unused substitute.
Trent’s return is timely, as Conor Bradley is out with an injury he received on Wednesday.
Konate is also out after he picked up a knock in Europe and is unable to play this afternoon.
Credit: Alamy Man City team vs Liverpool
Man City XI: Ortega Moreno, Walker, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Lewis, Gundogan, Nunes, Bernardo, Foden, Haaland.
Liverpool team vs Man City
Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Gakpo, Luis Diaz, Salah
Head-to-head
Liverpool have won only one of their past nine Premier League meetings with Man City.
But City have only been victorious on two of their last 27 Prem visits to Anfield.
Last season, both matches between the two clubs ended in a 1-1 draw.
Credit: AFP Team news
Liverpool duo Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley will be assessed ahead of kick-off after the defensive pair picked up knocks against Real Madrid in midweek.
Slot has confirmed that Trent Alexander-Arnold is fit and capable of starting against Man City after he returned to the Reds’ squad on Wednesday.
For City, John Stones and Jeremy Doku are both doubts after the pair missed the Feyenoord game.
Long-term absentees Mateo Kovacic, Oscar Bobb and Rodri all remain out for the champions.
Guardiola has been cautious with his use of Kevin de Bruyne, given the 33-year-old’s injury issues, but the City boss could be tempted to start the playmaker in a game of this magnitude.
Good afternoon and welcome to SunSport’s live blog of Liverpool vs Manchester City!
Fasten your seat belts, ladies and gentlemen. A Premier League blockbuster is upon us.
Liverpool go into today’s Super Sunday clash six points clear at the top of the table and eight points ahead of Man City.
Arsenal’s 5-2 thrashing of West Ham cut the Reds’ lead at the top by three points, but that may only be temporary.
Arne Slot has taken no time to acclimatise himself to his new surroundings, with his side the standout performers in the Premier League this season, winning 10 of their opening 12 games.
Liverpool go into today’s main event on a run of four straight wins in all competitions, with their most recent triumph coming against European kings Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Manchester City’s recent form has shocked many, as the champions are without a win from their last six games in all competitions.
Their current torrid run is something you would never associate with Pep Guardiola’s side since he was appointed in 2016.
Should City fall to a defeat at Anfield, they would not only be 11 points behind Liverpool but become the first Prem champions to lose four successive games the following season.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
