On Sunday, Manchester City head to Anfield for their Premier League clash against Liverpool. The Citizens head to Merseysiders having negotiated their 22 Premier League games this season without suffering a single defeat.
Draws against Everton at the Etihad Stadium and at Crystal Palace are the only games Pep Guardiola’s side have failed to win in the top-flight this season. In fact, the visitors have suffered just one defeat in any competition this season.
Even then, the result mattered little, as it was in a Champions League dead-rubber against Shakhtar Donetsk after City had won their first five group games.
As a neutral, it promises to be a fantastic game, hopefully anyway, between two teams that play exciting expansive football. It should be a great advertisement for the English top-flight.
Liverpool a major attacking threat
Despite the big money departure of Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho earlier in the week, Liverpool still offers a serious attacking threat. The Reds attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane will cause any defence problems. Only City themselves have scored more Premier League goals this season than the home side.
The Merseysiders have a record of scoring at least two goals in their last five top-flight outings, so the numbers are impressive. It will be interesting to see how Jurgen Klopp adapts his tactics in Coutinho’s absence, though.
Manchester City’s defence are certainly more solid than they were in Guardiola’s debut campaign in Manchester. City’s defensive improvement this season has been dramatic. In fact, as the Citizens now have the best defensive record of any team in the top-flight, conceding just 13 goals, three less than Manchester United and Chelsea.
Guardiola’s side have also managed to keep clean sheets in their last three away games in the Premier League.
City have a knack for winning on their rivals own soil
Manchester City have the knack of playing the same style of football, wherever they play and whoever they play. That confident attitude has led to the Citizens recording a 1-0 win at reigning champions Chelsea and a 2-1 victory at nearest challengers Manchester United.
Both games were supposedly tough games for Guardiola’s side. However, City controlled both games and could have won the games more handsomely.
Games against title rivals are the ones that can decide seasons. City have been that good this season, that they could have lost both of those games and still be well clear at the top of the table.
One interesting fact about City heading into this game is that they have not won at Anfield since 2003. The Citizens team and fortunes were very different back then. City’s current team are a world away from the team that won on Merseyside that day.
Liverpool are also unbeaten in 13 Premier League games at Anfield. The Reds will be confident of becoming the first Premier League side to beat Manchester City.
For me, this is Manchester City’s toughest remaining away game in the league. It would be a major surprise if they dominate this game as much as their previous big away games.
City the favourites to record a win
Unsurprisingly considering their position as runaway Premier League leaders, Manchester City are favourites to win this game at 13/10, while Liverpool are 21/10 and the draw is odds of 11/4.
This game promises to be a fantastic watch. I hope it does not let us down when it comes to goals and action. Both teams will go for the win. Liverpool are unlikely to sit back and park the bus, as that really is not their game.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is more likely to send his team out to attack and use attack as the best form of defence. As Bristol City showed in the EFL Cup in midweek, if you play your own game against City it is the most likely way to hurt them.
It is certainly an intriguing clash this one. If anybody can get the better of Manchester City on their travels though, it is this current Liverpool team.
Can Liverpool end Manchester City’s unbeaten Premier League run?
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