It’s obviously not as much of a headliner fixture as we expected it to be, but it’s the Premier League main event nonetheless. At least it is for this weekend. Manchester City visits Liverpool for the Sunday matinee prime fixture, but this rivalry has lost some luster this season.
City is as powerful, actually more so, than they were expected to be. Liverpool have taken a major step downward, and it appears their window of competing for major trophies has now slammed shut. In short, this isn’t the league title deciding fixture that he had all thought it would be.
Liverpool vs Manchester City FYIs
Kickoff: Sun Oct. 16, Anfield, 4:30pm
Team News: Liverpool Manchester City
Starting XI Predictions: Liverpool Manchester City
After Extra Time Podcast: Spotify Apple Podcasts
PL Form: Liverpool LDDWW Manchester City WWWDW
PL Standings: Liverpool 10th, 10pts Manchester City 2nd, 23pts
Google Result Probability: Manchester City 54%, Liverpool 24%, Draw 22%
Manchester City Team News
There are no fresh injury concerns for Pep Guardiola’s side, but Kalvin Phillips, John Stones and Kyle Walker all remain sidelined. This will dictate the Catalan’s first team selection (especially in the back), which we’ll predict and analyze shortly. City look unstoppable right now as Kevin de Bruyne, Phil Foden and “the Nordic Meat Shield” Erling Haaland all have PFA first XI form right now.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and he co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast, part of Edge of the Crowd Network. Follow him and the website on Twitter and Instagram.