Wednesday night will see a blockbuster match as Man City visits Liverpool for the Anfield leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie. Both managers, Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, are currently extolling the virtues of the opposing side, ahead of what will certainly be an extremely entertaining match.
City and Liverpool are far and away the two highest scoring teams in England this season, so expect plenty of goals in this one. Guardiola hailed the Reds attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino as “almost unstoppable.”
Klopp had high praise for City as well. For Guardiola, he has to deal with the added challenge of keeping his team focused first on this match, and making sure thoughts don’t drift to the potentially Premier League title clinching Manchester Derby on Saturday.
While beating Manchester United at home for the title is the stuff that City fan dreams are made of, Liverpool are up next and they are the only side to beat them in league play this year.
Let’s take a look at who is injured, fit, and who is a doubt for both sides. For Liverpool, they will be without midfielder Adam Lallana (Klopp said on Saturday that Lallana’s injury looked serious at first glance) and defender Joe Gomez.
Meanwhile midfielder Emre Can is waiting on a late fitness test over a back problem.
Flipping to the other side, Man City will have to deal with some depth issues in the back line- with Aymeric Laporte out, and John Stones and Fabian Delph doubts. Also, Benjamin Mendy remains on the long-term injury list.
In the front line, Sergio Aguero hopes to return after missing the big win over Everton this past weekend.
Jurgen Klopp and Andy Robertson Press Conference Video: go to this link
Manchester City Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Odds via Bet365 City 7/5 Liverpool 2/1 Draw 13/5
Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola Press Conference Videos: coming tomorrow
Liverpool starting XI prediction: go to this link
Prediction: Man City 5, Liverpool 4
As always, feel free to post to your own City and/or Liverpool starting XI predictions, as well as your score predictions, in the comments section below.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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