Liverpool vs. Manchester City

March 9, 2024

Liverpool take on Manchester City in a crunch top-of-the-table clash at Anfield on Sunday.

Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp and Manchester City's Pep Guardiola face off for the final time in the Premier League. Even though both sides can still meet in the FA Cup later this season, the managerial duels between Klopp and Guardiola in the Premier league are something exceptional.

Jurgen Klopp's side earned a 1-1 draw at the Etihad earlier in the season. Thus, City extended their unbeaten run against Liverpool to three matches since a 1-0 defeat at Anfield last season

Only one place and one point separates the two giants after 27 games of the 2023-24 campaign, though Arsenal knocked both sides down a spot with their dramatic 2-1 victory over Brentford on Saturday.

All in all, Liverpool have only been beaten in one of their last 20 Premier League home matches against Manchester City (winning 13), and that heavy 4-1 defeat in February 2021 came inside an empty Anfield deprived of its unnerving atmosphere.

Liverpool Betting Preview (+195 at Everygame)

The Reds maintained their one-point lead over Manchester City in the table last weekend. Darwin Nunez stepped up with an extraordinary 99^th-minute header to down Nottingham Forest, thus earning Liverpool's first Premier League victory at the City Ground in the process.

However, Jurgen Klopp's men were demoted to the runners-up spot when Arsenal beat London rivals Brentford on Saturday, while the Merseysiders arrive back home following a challenging - still worthwhile - Czech Republic jaunt, demolishing Czech champions Sparta Prague 5-1 in the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie.

The 5-1 win in the Czech capital marked Liverpool's seventh straight win across all tournaments since last month's 3-1 loss at the hands of Arsenal. Jurgen Klopp's side boast an identical triumphant streak at Anfield, where they are now without defeat in 29 consecutive matches since the devastating 5-2 loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League 13 months ago.

Liverpool are still guaranteed to be without a host of first-team players, though, as the likes of Alisson Becker, Joel Matip, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones, Stefan Bajcetic, Ryan Gravenberch, Thiago Alcantara and Ben Doak are all injured, while youngster Jayden Danns suffered a concussion last weekend and missed the trip to the Czech Republic.

Mohamed Salah, however, marked his comeback from a second muscle injury of the calendar year. The Egyptian was introduced as a second half substitute in Prague and even had a seemingly good goal bizarrely disallowed for offside - and a recall to the starting XI for the first time since the 4-2 home win over Newcastle on New Year's Day could await the Liverpool ace.

Yet, Jurgen Klopp could be cautious with Salah's fitness and the German might opt for an attacking three of Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez, while the Egyptian represents an excellent option for in-game rotations, regardless of the score.

Salah is arguably the most prominent figure of this Liverpool selection, but his health is even more important and we're certain that Klopp won't take any risks with him.

Meanwhile, early into the second half of Thursday night's victory, the Liverpool boss was also forced to withdraw Ibrahima Konate due to an issue of unspecified severity, and the French centre-back will be a last-minute decision for Sunday's showdown.

Manchester City Betting Preview (+125 at Everygame)

Entering the month of March with successive Premier League blockbusters, the defending champions were shocked by a Marcus Rashford rocket against city rivals Manchester United last Sunday , but hotshot Phil Foden, who netted a brace, and Erling Haaland - atoning for one of the worst misses the league has ever seen - completed the anticipated comeback win for the blue side of Manchester.

Furthermore, Pep Guardiola's side cruised into the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a comfortable 6-2 aggregate beating of Danish giants FC Copenhagen - earning a 3-1 home victory on Wednesday night - so another treble is still a possibility for Sunday's visitors.

Remarkably, 18 of Manchester City's last 20 games across all competitions have ended in victory - since a 1-0 loss at the hands of Aston Villa on 6 December. They have won five on the bounce - since the 1-1 home draw with Chelsea last month, while the Cityzens have also won their last nine away games in all competitions.

City, however, did not emerge physically unscathed from their match with FC Copenhagen either, as summer signing Matheus Nunes suffered a sickening dislocated finger, but the Portugal midfielder would have likely dropped down to the bench anyway.

Pep Guardiola also avoided risking Belgian winger Jeremy Doku for the second leg after he complained of muscular problems, which renders him doubtful for the trip to Merseyside, while Jack Grealish is definitely ruled out for the reigning treble-winners.

Should Doku fail to make the starting side on Sunday, Julian Alvarez is in line to start. In fact, the Argentine forward wasn't among the starters in just two of City's 27 top-flight games this season.

Meanwhile, Nathan Ake, Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne were among the first-team figures to enjoy a complete rest in midweek, and we expect all of them into the starting XI at Anfield.

Possible Starting Lineups of Liverpool and Manchester City

Liverpool: Caoimhín Kelleher - Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson - Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo, Alexis Mac Allister - Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz. (4-3-3)

Manchester City: Ederson - Kyle Walker, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake - Rodri - Bernardo Silva, Julian Alvarez, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden - Erling Haaland. (4-1-4-1)

Spooky Express Betting Prediction

With 19 wins and two draws in 21 home games across all competitions, Liverpool have so far proven infallible at Anfield this season.

At least three goals have also flown into the opposition net in six of Liverpool's last seven home matches, but with the Reds only managing one clean sheet from their last nine Anfield contests, an equally rampant Manchester City have every right to dream of becoming the first side to beat Liverpool at Anfield this campaign.

Regardless of the outcome, it's still too early for some final conclusions as Liverpool are aiming to lift a record-equalling 20^th top-flight crown, while City are keen to secure an unprecedented fourth title in a row.

Given Liverpool's propensity to ship goals at Anfield, a Pep Guardiola side boasting fresher legs and a perfect away record for the past three months are favorites to win the game. However, we believe that Jurgen Klopp's men will do well in what we expect to be an entertaining encounter.

Spooky Express Free Play: Outcome And Totals - 1X And Over 2.5 Goals +180 at Everygame for 5/10 Units

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