Arne Slot's Reds, high at the top of the Premier League, welcome Pep Guardiola's eternal winners to Anfield.
Anfield will host its second blockbuster event this week. Fresh from a triumphant win over Real Madrid in the Champions League, Liverpool now turn their attention to Sunday's high-stakes clash against struggling Manchester City.
The Reds sit at the top of both the Premier League and European rankings, showing their dominance under new manager Arne Slot, who has produced near-flawless results since succeeding Jurgen Klopp. Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola faces increasing challenges as he puts together a winning line-up to halt City's slump. A win for Liverpool could extend their lead over City to 11 points, dealing a major blow to the reigning champions' title hopes. However, turn the story around and there are only five.
Guardiola faces a make-or-break moment
Despite the growing gap in the standings, Guardiola remains adamant City are still title contenders. However, another misstep would significantly undermine their chances of retaining the Premier League crown. The Citizens are winless in their last six games – a run that includes a frustrating draw against Feyenoord. After building a 3-0 lead, City's defensive weaknesses allowed the Dutch side to stage a stunning comeback, leaving fans at the Etihad disheartened.
Injuries to key players have exacerbated City's struggles, reducing the energy and confidence of those available to play. As Guardiola himself admits, City's biggest enemy is their own inconsistency. With a trip to Anfield on the horizon, the uphill battle continues – even as De Bruyne gradually returns to form and Aké and Grealish return to the starting line-up against Feyenoord.
Salah continues to shine for Liverpool despite his absence
At the heart of Liverpool's success is Mohamed Salah, who remains the undisputed king of Anfield. Only Erling Haaland has scored more goals in the Premier League this season, while only Bukayo Saka has provided more assists. Now in the final year of his contract, Salah continues to lead Liverpool's attack with the same fire and determination he showed on day one.
The Reds will also be boosted by the return of Trent Alexander-Arnold, although they will be without Ibrahima Konaté, along with Alisson, Diogo Jota, Kostas Tsimikas and Federico Chiesa. Despite these setbacks, Liverpool have started the season with relentless momentum and show little sign of slowing down, but with a small cushion to mitigate any setbacks.
Liverpool – Man City: Likely Lineups
Liverpool: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Salah, Darwin Nuñez, Luis Diaz.
Manchester City: Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Gundogan, Matheus Nunes; Bernardo Silva, De Bruyne, Savinho; Haaland.
Referee: C. KavanaghVenue: Anfield, LiverpoolKick-off time: 11am ET / 8am PT
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