Manchester City is set to host Liverpool in a highly-anticipated Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The upcoming fixture follows Manchester City’s thrilling 4-4 draw with Chelsea and Liverpool’s convincing 3-0 victory over Brentford in the last Premier League matches.
With 28 points from 12 games, Pep Guardiola’s side currently holds the top spot in the Premier League table, while Liverpool closely trails at 2nd position with 27 points from the same number of games.
Looking back, the last encounter between the two teams took place in April this year, where Man City secured a remarkable 4-1 victory over Liverpool at home, with goals from Julian Alvarez, Kevin de Bruyne, IIkay Gundogan, and Jack Grealish.
Man City’s Team Update:
Erling Haaland, Man City’s prolific goal scorer, missed Norway’s final Euro 2024 qualifier against Scotland due to an ankle problem sustained in their recent win over Bournemouth. Similarly, goalkeeper Ederson is nursing a foot concern, while Sergio Gomez, Mateo Kovacic, and Nathan Ake are also dealing with respective injuries. Additionally, Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones, and Matheus Nunes are expected to be sidelined.
However, Julian Alvarez, a capable deputy for Haaland, is deemed ready to step in if needed. The Argentina international has been training diligently and there is growing confidence in Haaland’s fitness ahead of the clash.
Liverpool’s Team Update:
Liverpool’s medical team faces late decisions on the fitness of Joe Gomez, Ryan Gravenberch, Ibrahima Konate, and Curtis Jones. While the four players have trained with the team, Andrew Robertson, Stefan Bajcetic, and Thiago Alcantara are confirmed to be unavailable. Manager Jurgen Klopp will also assess his South American contingent of Alisson, Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister, and Darwin Nunez.
Probable Starting Lineup:
Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Silva, Rodri, Foden, Doku, Grealish, and Haaland
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jota, Gakpo, Jota, and Salah
Prediction:
Media Talk Africa predicts a thrilling encounter with a 2-1 victory for Man City. The kick-off time for Man City vs Liverpool is set for 1.30 pm.
