Liverpool v Man City tips, predictions and odds

Liverpool meet champions Manchester City in the Premier League’s most hotly anticipated game of the weekend. Who will come out on top? Robin Bairner has the lowdown.

Title challenge in the balance

Before this season began, many pundits and football fans would have circled Liverpool’s home fixture against Manchester City and labelled it as a Premier League title race decider. But a few months on and there are very few who believe Jurgen Klopp’s men can challenge City come May.

The Reds head into the weekend in 10th spot in the table, 14 points behind leaders Arsenal and 13 back from Manchester City. It is their worst start to a season in a decade and, although they have a game in hand, they are now priced at 44 to regain the title that they last won in the 2019/20 season.

Klopp may have publicly ruled out another title push, but he will secretly believe that a Liverpool victory on Sunday, which is priced at 4.2 with SBK, might be the catalyst for one of the greatest comebacks of all time.

Battered and bruised

Liverpool will enter this encounter in relatively good heart. Despite conceding the opening goal against Rangers on Wednesday, they overwhelmed the Europa League finalists and secured a 7-1 victory that kept them in good stead in the Champions League.

The Reds, though, have experienced one such false dawn already this season after beating Bournemouth 9-0 at home. That was followed up with a tight victory over Newcastle before a winless run of three matches, a sequence that they will hope doesn’t repeat itself this time around as they tackle one of their greatest foes.

Injury problems are biting this Liverpool team - Luis Diaz and Trent Alexander-Arnold are just two of the players who will be sidelined for this critical encounter. And, although Mohamed Salah appears to be back to his best after a midweek hat-trick off the bench, the makeshift nature of their rearguard against a formidable Manchester City team is cause for concern.

Merseyside misery in the past?

While Liverpool had to go full tilt – or at least something close to it – against Rangers on Wednesday, Manchester City had the luxury of resting several players for their Tuesday trip to Copenhagen. A 0-0 draw in Denmark has done little to dent the European hopes of Pep Guardiola’s side, and the extra effort required to play with 10 men for an hour shouldn’t cause an issue given the squad depth and relatively long recovery time.

They go to Anfield with the pressure of needing a result so that they don’t slip too far behind Arsenal, who play in Leeds earlier on Sunday. A slip from the Gunners could see City regain top spot, which would be symbolic at the home of their greatest rivals in recent years.

Trends tell you that City have not necessarily enjoyed playing on Merseyside in the past. Indeed, they went 17 games without a win at Anfield in the league before a 4-1 success in February 2021, which was followed by a 2-2 draw the following October.

Meanwhile, Guardiola will be looking to improve his head-to-head record against Klopp, who leads the series with 11 wins to Pep’s nine.

Goals galore!

Goals look an absolute certainty in this match. The last five encounters between these two clubs have produced at least four goals each and that trend should continue given Liverpool’s defence is in disarray and Man City are happy to pour players forward in attack.

Liverpool beat City 3-1 when the clubs faced off in the Community Shield in July, but numerous injury problems and a poor run in the league leaves City as deservedly hot favourites. After resting players in midweek, look for Guardiola’s men to take the win here.