Premier League Showdown: Liverpool vs Manchester City Preview
In seven of the last eight Premier League fixtures, Liverpool has netted four or more goals. Manchester City achieved a tally of nine goals in triumphs over Luton and Manchester United.
Erling Haaland boasts a tally of 18 goals in 22 appearances within the Premier League this season.
The top two contenders in the Premier League are set to clash on Matchday No 28, with Liverpool hosting Manchester City in a highly anticipated derby at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.
The Reds hold a narrow one-point lead at the summit of the league standings heading into the encounter.
While the outcome of this fixture won’t necessarily conclude the title race, the victorious side would undoubtedly gain a significant psychological edge as the season progresses.
Liverpool encountered difficulties in breaking the deadlock last weekend against Nottingham Forest.
However, they eventually managed to find the breakthrough courtesy of substitute Darwin Nunez, who nodded in Alexis MacAllister’s delivery during the ninth minute of stoppage time at The City Ground. This marked the fourth consecutive league triumph for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Similarly, Manchester City also relied on late goals to secure victory over their city rivals last week. Phil Foden emerged as the hero for the Citizens, guiding them to a second-half comeback with a brace against Manchester United.
Pep Guardiola’s side has now amassed an impressive record of 15 wins and 1 draw in their last 16 outings across all competitions.
Recent Encounters
The outcome of recent head-to-head clashes between these adversaries has been significantly influenced by the home team’s advantage.
Four out of the last five meetings have resulted in victories for the hosts. In the reverse fixture played at the Etihad Stadium last November, the two sides settled for a 1-1 draw.
With the exception of one encounter, both teams have found the back of the net in each of their previous ten meetings.
Prediction for Liverpool vs Manchester City
Liverpool received a major boost with the return of Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah. While Nunez featured last weekend at The City Ground, Salah made the squad for the midweek UEFA Europa League fixture in Prague.
Manchester City has managed to keep just two clean sheets in their last six matches across all competitions. It’s unlikely that they will be able to contain Liverpool’s potent attacking unit on Sunday.
Similarly, despite recording three consecutive clean sheets in all competitions, Liverpool’s defensive frailties have been evident throughout the season.
Given the formidable attacking prowess displayed by both teams and their recent history of high-scoring encounters, it’s reasonable to anticipate a goal-laden affair on Sunday. The preferred selection is for Over 3.5 goals to be scored at full time, with odds set at 2.30.
Despite experiencing some setbacks and missed opportunities in recent matches, Erling Haaland remains the Premier League’s leading scorer with 18 goals in 22 appearances this season.
The Norwegian sensation recently notched five goals against Luton in a dominant 6-2 victory in the FA Cup at Kenilworth Road. Offering odds of 2.10 for Haaland to score at any time in the match is a proposition worth considering.
