The biggest match of the Premier League season is here. After weeks of anticipation, Liverpool travel to Manchester City Sunday in a battle of the top two teams in the Premier League.
City hold a one-point lead over the Reds with eight matches to play, and both teams want a big result heading into the stretch run. Liverpool will have every player available heading into the match.
Liverpool at Manchester City FYIs
Team News: Liverpool Manchester City
Starting XI Predictions: Liverpool Manchester City
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Betting Odds: Manchester City are +110 favorites to win Sunday. Liverpool are +240 underdogs with +270 odds on a draw.
Trendspotting
Liverpool has won each of their last 10 Premier League games, keeping eight clean sheets in this run. It’s their fifth run of 10+ consecutive Premier League wins, with each of their previous four being ended by different sides (2-2 v Bolton 2006, 0-2 v Chelsea 2014, 1-1 v Man Utd 2019, 0-3 v Watford 2020).
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has scored in four of his last five Premier League games against Manchester City, including each of his last three in a row. The last player to score in four consecutive Premier League appearances against the Citizens was Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who did so in five in a row between December 2000 and October 2003.
Goalkeeper
Alisson saw his clean-sheet streak end at three on Tuesday in the Champions League, allowing a second-half goal to Benfica. There was nothing he could do about the goal, as a poor clearance led directly to an open attacker.
Alisson has 17 clean sheets this season in the Premier League, and if he can add another one on Sunday, it will be massive for Liverpool.
Defense
Everyone is healthy and ready to go in the Liverpool backline. Ibrahima Konate got the start against Benfica and scored. But he also directly led to Benfica’s goal.
Joel Matip rested against Benfica and is set to return to the line-up for Konate. Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold round out the back-4.
Midfield
Jordan Henderson started to the bench Tuesday but is likely to return Sunday in place of Naby Keita. The Reds midfield in big games has been Thiago, Fabinho and Henderson, and there is no reason to change that now.
Attack
Options are a plenty for Liverpool up top. Sadio Mane and Luis Diaz got on the scoresheet against Benfica.
Even though he hasn’t been in the best form recently, it is hard to leave Mo Salah out of the line-up in such a big game. Diogo Jota is also in great form and is tied for second in the Golden Boot race. Jota, Mane and Salah likely start, with Diaz and Roberto Firmino starting on the bench.
Predicted Liverpool XI vs Manchester City (4-3-3): Alisson, Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Thiago, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Diogo Jota, Sadio Mane and Mo Salah.