The marquee match of the weekend in the Premier League happens Sunday as Liverpool host Manchester City.
The last seven league titles have been split between these two sides, although City have won six of them while Liverpool claimed the crown in the 2019-20 season. The Reds also finished second in two of those campaigns, fuelling a rivalry that represents the best the English top flight has to offer.
However, the wheels have fallen off for City as they've lost three straight Premier League matches, part of an ongoing six-game losing streak across all competitions. It's an unparalleled run of poor form under Pep Guardiola and has dropped the Sky Blues to third in the league standings and 17th in the Champions League, signalling the club's first crisis since the famed manager took over at the Etihad Stadium nearly a decade ago.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have enjoyed a near-perfect start to the campaign and they lead the league by eight points, while also leading the Champions League standings.
Liverpool vs. Manchester City: Head-to-head and recent statistics
- All-time meetings: 226
- Liverpool wins: 108
- Draws: 58
- Manchester City wins: 60
Historically, Liverpool can boast a huge advantage in the head-to-head results between these sides.
However, the Reds have won just one of their last nine Premier League matches against the Sky Blues.
Liverpool vs. Manchester City: Team news
Liverpool
- Injured: Alisson, Jota, Chiesa, Tsimikas, Konate, Bradley
- Suspended: None
Manchester City
- Injured: Rodri, Kovacic, Stones
- Suspended: None
Liverpool vs. Manchester City: What the managers are saying
Arne Slot
(via liverpoolfc.com )
“It is an interesting time to play City because so many are questioning them at the moment. I am not one of them.
"This is not to ignore their recent results, because clearly they have not been of the usual standard, but City still have one of the best managers in the world – if not the best manager in the world – numerous top-class players and a culture of success, which means they cannot be written off even in times of adversity."
Pep Guardiola
(via mancity.com)
“All we can do and I’ve learned from my life is move forward in the good and bad moments, it’s what you have to do. I’ve said many times in a long career, you live all the situations.
“Fortunately we have lived this rarely in the last eight or nine years, but I take it like normal. Of course I’m thinking what can I do to help the players but in the career for many years you live these situations. In the end we lost five games, should’ve won the last one, that happens in football."
Liverpool vs. Manchester City: Prediction
City's form has likely robbed us of a classic at Anfield as the Sky Blues will probably be playing cautiously to try to contain the red-hot Reds.
However, Guardiola's side is still packed with talent and they could see this as a statement match as they look to reassert themselves as the big dogs of the Premier League.
That being said, Liverpool's recent results cannot be ignored, and Slot has the Reds playing the best football in Europe.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Manchester City