Who: Liverpool vs Manchester City
Content: English Premier League
Location: Anfield, Liverpool, England
When: Sunday 4:30pm (16:30 GMT)
How to follow: Get everything ready on Al Jazeera Sports from 13:30 GMT ahead of the live text commentary stream.
Liverpool will host City in a match that will have a huge impact on their title contention and the fight for next season’s Champions League qualification.
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Arsenal are six points clear at the top of the City Trail and could reach a nine-point lead by the time the Gunners host Sunderland on Saturday.
If Manchester United and Chelsea win on Saturday, Liverpool could move four points within five points and secure Champions League qualification.
The champions head into the weekend in sixth place with 39 points, but are in high spirits after last weekend’s 4-1 win over Newcastle United, while City dropped points against 14th-placed Tottenham Hotspur and surrendered a two-goal advantage with a 2-2 draw.
Two of Liverpool’s big summer signings, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, are starting to cash in. Ekitike scored twice in the win over Newcastle to take his tally to 15 this season, while Wirtz has now scored six goals in 10 games since ending a 22-game wait for his first goal for Liverpool.
Meanwhile, City’s Erling Haaland has been in an unusual slump, scoring just two goals in his last 12 games. He never scored for City at Anfield.
Improved display of slot targets for cities
Liverpool are keen to show how much they have improved after losing 3-0 to City in November, manager Arne Slott said on Thursday.
“The main thing I remember is the game at the Etihad, where we were behind for a good part of the first half,” Slott told reporters.
“So this is another moment of where we are in the development of this team. We know the importance of results.”
Liverpool have endured a tough season so far, but have found some form of form in recent weeks.
“It’s the end of the season so the results are more important,” Slott said.
“We have yet to find consistency in our results, but we have shown that we can compete against all teams.”
Liverpool know there must be ‘life after Virgil’
Slott also explained the club’s decision to strengthen four central defenders in the winter transfer window – Jeremy Jacquet, Ifeanyi Ndukwe, Molu Tara Ndiaye and Noah Adekoya – and described it as a lifelong plan after captain and star centre-back Virgil van Dijk, who turns 35 this year.
“I hope Virgil can stay healthy for many years, but this club is not stupid,” Slott said.
“We know there’s a life after Virgil somewhere in the next few years, but that’s true for any position. We’re not just thinking about the short term.”
Slott gave special praise to Jacquet. The French Under-21 defender had been linked with Chelsea, but Liverpool agreed a lucrative deal to sign him from Rennes, meaning he will move to Anfield in July, where he will finish the season.
“He’s such a great talent and another example of the role model we use at this club,” Slott said.
“Young, very talented players, sometimes early in their careers, sometimes already a few years into their careers, but always young and players who will definitely improve us both in the short term and in the long term.”
Manager Guardiola emphasizes mental strength ahead of tough tour
Manchester City manager Josep Guardiola says mental toughness separates the elite players from the rest as his team prepares for the match against Liverpool.
“The biggest stages, the biggest games always require great people,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday.
“I’ve said it many times, it’s not about the skill of players in the top league. Top clubs have skill. I don’t know of any players who aren’t good enough to play in a top club. It’s the way they behave. There’s no player who isn’t good enough to play in a top club.”
“How you play in the final stages of the biggest competitions is what defines you as a player. The player mentality you have defines the big teams.”
Guardiola said that despite the difficulties this season has seen, the match against Liverpool at Anfield remains one of the toughest away fixtures in football.
“They’re still an exceptional team,” he said. “There is no doubt that he is a top-class coach and has an exceptional team.”
City manager praises Haaland as “the best striker in the world” but does not allow him to start in Liverpool’s starting lineup.
Guardiola declined to confirm whether City’s underachieving star would start in Sunday’s crucial clash, but insisted Haaland was “the best striker in the world”.
“We won’t know until tomorrow, but all I can say is that Erling is the best. Erling is the best striker in the world,” Guardiola told reporters.
The 55-year-old also doubled down on his comments about the “hurt” he feels for victims of conflicts in Palestine, Ukraine and Sudan after being told by Jewish community leaders to “focus on football”.
“To be honest, I didn’t say anything special. I think just because you’re a manager, why shouldn’t you express your feelings? So, even though I don’t agree, I completely respect everyone’s opinion,” he said.
“What I basically said is how many conflicts there are on the planet or around the world right now. How many? A lot? I condemn them all. All of them.”
direct confrontation
The two clubs have met 219 times, with Liverpool winning 110, City winning 61 and 58 drawings.
City comfortably won their home league match against Liverpool this season, but 2021 saw their only win away to Liverpool since 2003, in an empty stadium due to coronavirus restrictions.
liverpool team news
Slott confirmed that defender Jeremy Frimpong will be sidelined, but announced that Joe Gomez could return to the team to strengthen the defence.
Dominik Szoboszlai is expected to continue to fill in for Frimpong at right-back.
Alexander Isak, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni all remain sidelined with long-term injuries.
Expected lineup:
Alisson (GK) Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkes. Graven Birch, Mac Allister. Salah, Wartz, Gakpo. Equitique
City team news
City may be without Bernardo Silva, who has a back injury, so Nico O’Reilly could replace him in midfield.
Ruben Dias has returned from injury but is likely to lack full match fitness and sharpness, so Abdukkodir Kusanov will likely start in the center of defence, alongside new signing Marc Gehi.
Expected lineup:
Donnarumma (GK) Nunes, Kusanov, Guehi, Ait Nouri. Rodri, O’Reilly. Semenyo, Foden, Cherki. haaland
