City looking for a pair of tens against Liverpool

Rubbing salt in the wounds

Manchester City look to inflict more pain on Liverpool this weekend when both sides face each other in Premier League action.

The defending league champions have hit a wall this season and are in fourth place seven points from the top.

Things couldn’t be going any better for Man City with 13 straight wins in all competitions and a three-point cushion at the top of the Premier League standings.

Lineup News

Man City’s gotten used to life without Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero, and they’ll need to continue without them as both remain sidelined with long term injuries.

Nathan Ake is back training but is unlikely to features once again.

Liverpool’s injuries meanwhile continue to pile up.

Fabinho and Sadio Mane are major injury doubts.

 Goalkeeper Alisson is recovering from an illness and could be available.

Virgil Van Dijk, Joel Matip, Diego Jota, and Joe Gomez could all be out with injuries.

New signing Ozan Kabak is available for Liverpool but unlikely to start after joining on loan from Schalke 04.

In a slump

Jurgen Klopp’s team is spiralling down the Premier League table with just two wins in their last six EPL games.

Since thrashing Crystal Palace, 7-0 in late December Liverpool’s got just two wins, three losses and three draws in eight league matches.

They’ve been held off the scoresheet in five of those games another rare sight to see from a side that boasts one of the most potent strike forces in Salah and Mane.

Even home field hasn’t been much of an advantage for the Premier League champs.

After going 69 games without losing at Anfield, the Reds have now gone three games without a win or goal at home.

City’s been in anything but a slump lately but if there’s one worth noting it’s their struggles at Anfield.

It’s been over 17 years since the Sky Blues got three points at Anfield in a Premier League match.

Raheem Sterling meanwhile hasn’t had a lot of success coming back to his former club.

The ex-Liverpool striker has never scored for Man City at Anfield in six previous trips.

Role Reversal

It’s been a complete reversal of fortunes this season when it comes to these two sides.

In 2019/20 Liverpool was virtually uncatchable at this point of the season cruising to their first top-flight victory since 1989/90.

While a new year has breathed new life into City, it seems like it’s sucked the life out of Liverpool.

City has won nine straight Premier League matches while Liverpool’s won only three of their last eight games in all competitions this year.

Perfect Tens

Ten is the magic number Man City will be seeking on Sunday when these teams do battle.

A win would be City’s tenth straight in the Premier League and put them ten points clear of Liverpool in the standings.

Tidiness

One thing that’s been consistent with both teams lately has been clean sheets.

Liverpool can’t seem to buy a goal while City can do no wrong defensively.

Pep Guardiola’s side has six consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League whereas Liverpool is scoreless in four of its last seven EPL games.

Ederson himself has more clean sheets (13) than goals conceded (12).

The Wall

One of the best signings for City over the summer has to Ruben Dias.

The 23-year-old who joined from Benfica is one of the main reasons the teams as strong as they are on defence.

Man City has conceded only 13 goals to this point of the season, head and shoulders the best in the Premier League.

Before Dias arrived, City had conceded six times in their first two Premier League matches.

That right there shows how vital Dias has been to City’s defence.

Tottenham and Arsenal have the next lowest number of goals conceded with 22 respectively.

Dias had missed a mere 20 minutes of Premier League action since arriving at the Etihad becoming an immediate cornerstone for Guardiola’s backline.

No centre-back in the league completes or makes more passes in the oppositions half than Dias.

His partner in crime John Stones is the only player in the Premier League who is more accurate with passes that end in the final third than Dias.

Managers Words

City Boss Pep Guardiola emphasized how important a win against Liverpool would boost his team’s title hopes.

“Of course it would be important to win,” he said.

“If you beat Liverpool, United, – it’s important to beat them, I cannot deny it. It is always difficult against Liverpool.

“It is a top club, top history, players, manager, backroom staff. Always difficult.

“It’s not about how many years (since City’s last win at Anfield), or whatever – there are 38 Premier League games – this is one more.”

Match Info

Sunday’s game from Anfield kicks off at 4:30 pm. (JSL)