The Big Match - Liverpool v Man City

Premier League: Liverpool v Manchester City

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 4.30pm Sunday

Match odds

13-8 Liverpool
13-8 Manchester City
11-4 Draw

Form

City have won 22 of their last 25 Premier League matches but the champions will need to be on form to get three points from Anfield with Liverpool unbeaten for the past 43 Premier League matches at their Merseyside fortress.

Liverpool have scored at least twice in each of the last 12 league home encounters and have suffered defeat just once in their last 21 matches in all competitions.

Jurgen Klopp's side, who are six points ahead of City, have dropped points only in a 1-1 draw at Manchester United, but their last five Premier League wins have all been by one goal.

Team news

Joel Matip, Xherdan Shaqiri and Nathaniel Clyne remain out for Liverpool.

Ederson was substituted against Atalanta on Wednesday but it was only a small problem, so City are hopeful he will be available. There are more serious doubts over David Silva, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Rodri, who trained outside in midweek having initially been ruled out. Aymeric Laporte and Leroy Sane are still sidelined.

The tactical battle

The most interesting aspect of this game is how the respective managers feel about it being a must-not-lose encounter or whether it is worth risking defeat for a vital victory.

"I'm so satisfied with what we have done," said Pep Guardiola after the 0-0 draw at Anfield in October last season. "As a team you know Liverpool will punish our mistakes, and at the back we controlled it very well."

It was a very disciplined performance by City, who shaded possession 51-49 in a match which produced a low total of just 13 shots and one expected-goals map gave a 0.43-0.31 rating in favour of Liverpool excluding Riyad Mahrez's late penalty miss.

City's full-backs barely crossed the halfway line, although at that stage the teams were locked together on points rather than the visitors facing a six-point deficit.

Verdict

This match should be as tight as the odds suggest and the draw could be the best bet in a tight tussle.

There is mutual respect between the teams and it would not be a surprise if they cancelled each other out, but Liverpool look marginally the more likely winners if City's injuries fail to clear. Draw 1-1.

Key stats

• Both teams have scored in all five of Liverpool's Premier League home matches this season
• The Reds have won their last 12 home league matches
• Man City have not won on their last 18 visits to Anfield with Nicolas Anelka scoring both goals in that 2003 victory
• City have lost only one of the 30 matches started by Kevin De Bruyne in 2019.

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