Liverpool make the trip to the Etihad Stadium this Saturday in the high-billed Premier League clash against the league holders Manchester City.
Both teams are set for a return to club football after the recent international break and find themselves chasing two different but equally important objectives in top flight action.
The defending champions City are eight points adrift of the league leaders Arsenal, with a match in hand, while last season’s runners up Liverpool are sixth in the standings and have their task cut in qualifying for the Champions League next term.
The Reds were victorious over City in the reverse fixture at Anfield with a late second-half strike from Mohamed Salah earning the home side the three points up for grabs against their arch rivals.
City, however, tasted success the last time these two teams met together in the Carabao Cup where Pep Guardiola’s men earned a thrilling 3-2 victory over their Merseyside opposition.
A league double for the visitors Liverpool would close the gap on fifth-placed Newcastle United to just three points with the Magpies set to take on Champions League hopefuls Manchester United a day later.
Liverpool supporters would be fretting over the trip to the Etihad over the weekend with their side having taken just 12 points from their 13 Premier League away games this season – not a great record to boast of ahead of the upcoming showdown.
Man City have been in formidable touch when playing on home soil with Guardiola’s men losing just once in their last 19 home games in the Premier League – a 2-1 defeat to Brentford last November.
WHEN AND WHERE
Date: Saturday 1 April 2023
Time: 1 PM GMT
Venue: Etihad Stadium
TEAM NEWS
Calvin Ramsay, Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic remain on the recovery table for Liverpool with Bajcetic confirmed sidelined for the remainder of the season.
Another injury setback for the Reds came in the form of Greek full-back Kostas Tsimikas who sustained a rib injury in his country’s goalless draw with Lithuania earlier in the week.
Jurgen Klopp, however, would be delighted to welcome back Luis Diaz who was involved in first-team training earlier this week after five months out with a knee injury and the Columbian winger would be eyeing a return to the matchday squad.
KEY BATTLE
Jack Grealish vs Cody Gakpo
The home side City could be without two of their feared attackers – Erling Haaland and Phil Foden – in a crushing blow to the Premier League holders who take on arch rivals Liverpool on Saturday.
In the duo’s absence, England international Jack Grealish will bear the responsibility of troubling a Liverpool backline which has not been at it’s usual best this season and has been prone to errors.
Liverpool’s January signing Cody Gakpo, meanwhile, will look to get back to his prolific self in front of the goal after being kept quiet in Liverpool’s final two games before the international break against Bournemouth and Real Madrid.
MATCH PREDICTION
Man City are the slight favourites to emerge as the winners but Liverpool’s big-game mentality could see them salvage a point on the road this weekend.
Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool
