Topic: Match Preview - Manchester City v Liverpool - 3 January 2019 8.00pm

[lgvkarlos]

Would love the starting midfield from arsenal again, just love the way they broke their press (don't think it will happen though) .
 Every time our defenders lost patience (or confidence) they got opertunities, and Hendo looks so much better further forward.
When Hendo plays further up the pitch with fab behind he seems much more difficult to play around.

[Fluke]

I thought there was geographic restrictions regarding refs... that’s why we never get Mike Dean for example?

As I understand it, each ref writes down which club they support and they are only restricted from reffing that club.  Most of the refs have written down League 2 teams so it doesn't interfere with any big matches.

[IanZG]

As important as this game is to us, it's much more crucial for City. If we lose, everything is still in our hands, but if City fail to win, they're in a really bad position as far as the title challenge is concerned. It's often said that we're the most dangerous team there is on the counter and we're coming into this game with an advantage and forcing City to attack us. Just don't concede an early goal and we'll be fine.

[John C]

i was literally just about to write the exact same thing, word for word

Great minds mate .... 

[AlphaDelta]

Outstanding OP, one of the best I've read in a long time.

I'm frightened thinking about this match, but truth be told I was frightened about the Arsenal game too.

I watched them against Southampton reserves yesterday and for a spell just before the Saints equaliser, they were on the ropes, you could almost see the fear in them.

Would I take a draw? Absolutely, will we beat them? I pray we do, but they need a win more so than us, effectively that could play into our hands.

Damn you fooking days of the week, why is Thursday so far away!

[spider-neil]

Crucial to avoid defeat.

If defeat happens then it's crucial to bounce back win a win and then go on a long winning run.

[spider-neil]

For me, these positions are nailed on (barring injury in training);

Allison
VVD
Trent
Lovren
Roberton
Henderson
Gini
Firmino
Manè
Salah

So there is only one position up for grabs -
Fabinho - Out and out number 6
Milner (if fit) - Leadership, running, experience
Keita - Dribbling through the lines
Shaq - Creativity

Touch choice for Klopp as all 4 bring something unique to the table and all 4 have a good shout to start.

[Asam]

I don’t see the point in being cagey, let’s play our natural game, let them worry about us, the worse thing we could do is comprise our approach and then lose anyway.

I do like the idea of Gini / Fabinho and Keita as our midfield 3, the rest of the team picks itself

[redk84]

Thanks for the OP!

This game is massive in the context of this season...since the Chelsea game in 13/14 I don't think there's been a bigger one in the league for us because if we do not lose, hell if we WIN, we are putting ourselves in a ridiculously good position in the league.

As it is we are on 54 points with 18 left.
2 points per game will lead us to 90. 2 ppg is not a difficult task and is something we have done over the past few seasons when trying to reach top 4.....we have experience in accumulating that kind of return. A shade over that and we can reach 95 points which I personally think will be enough...

We have done the hard bit, from here on out it really is just business as usual for us and if another team (city most likely) put together the sort of half season we have just done we will be in trouble but that's where the pressure will be.

There is a massive opportunity on Thursday night to inflict mental damage on our closest rival for the title...which can put massive doubts in their minds as to whether they can pull it off.

So how do we approach it?

Personally, I would play safe....try and keep it tight and hit them on the counter. A draw here is absolutely fine. Hendo/Milner coming in for Shaq as the only change. Wining the midfield battle is massive.
City do have mental scars playing us....moreso than we have playing them and we can use that to our advantage. Both teams have the ability to change the tempo of the game and it's going to be a fascinating watch...its going to be a tactical battle on the pitch as well as off it with Klopp/Pep.

There's a lot of players on that pitch that have a high amount of football intelligence.

I doubt Pep will try anything clever like he has done in previous games, the 442 worked well for them at Anfield and he may see that as a good option this time too. I think we will look to drop Firmino into the midfield and hopefully stretch them with Mane/Salah.
Gotta be weary of being outnumbered in transitions but luckily so do they. This is the one game where I think they don't attack without having a bit of a worry in the back of their minds about what happens if they lose the ball, because they fear our front 3 without question.

We cannot go a goal down against them, the first 20 will be absolutely vital and seriously I cannot wait to see what happens as it is a fascinating setup.

Worst case? we leave there with our first defeat of the season and are still 4 points clear at the top of the league meaning they need to have 2 better results than us over the remaining 18 games.....which is a situation anyone would have taken in August anyway.

2-1 redmen

[spider-neil]

I don’t see the point in being cagey, let’s play our natural game, let them worry about us, the worse thing we could do is comprise our approach and then lose anyway.

I do like the idea of Gini / Fabinho and Keita as our midfield 3, the rest of the team picks itself

I think it's fair to be a 'little' cagey in the first 15 minutes because we know that City is going to come at us like a train. They are the home team in a must-win game for them. I was the same in the CL second leg game.

[robertobaggio37]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smT2C-BLyuo

 


Let's twat these plastic twats

Pathetic, absolutely embarassing stuff.

Nothing but a nice 0-3 win with a clean sheet and Salah hat trick would make me more happy.

[TheFlyingScouseman]

Lets fuck these fuckers

[NarutoReds]

Can we rest Robertson this game IN CASE he is tired / fatigue? Affordable?

[Brain Potter]

I’m back to work Thursday but I’ll be getting fuck all work done thinking about this match in the evening. I think Kloppo will play a midfield of Henderson, Wijnaldum and Fabinho. Rest of team picks itself. Very confident we’ll win which means I’ll be doing fuck all at work on Friday apart from writing the number 10 down and working out points permutations against future fixtures.

[KissThisGuy]

For me, these positions are nailed on (barring injury in training);

Allison
VVD
Trent
Lovren
Roberton
Henderson
Gini
Firmino
Manè

So there is only one position up for grabs -
Fabinho - Out and out number 6
Milner (if fit) - Leadership, running, experience
Keita - Dribbling through the lines
Shaq - Creativity

Touch choice for Klopp as all 4 bring something unique to the table and all 4 have a good shout to start.

So 9 places nailed on and only 1 other place left up for grabs. I admire your bravery, but I'd prefer to start with 11. What has Salah done to you?

[spider-neil]

So 9 places nailed on and only 1 other place left up for grabs. I admire your bravery, but I'd prefer to start with 11. What has Salah done to you?

Opps. Fixed

[Lazy Gun]

3 points for the tricky reds please.  Same as it ever was.

[Zoomers]

For me, these positions are nailed on (barring injury in training);

Allison
VVD
Trent
Lovren
Roberton
Henderson
Gini
Firmino
Manè
Salah

So there is only one position up for grabs -
Fabinho - Out and out number 6
Milner (if fit) - Leadership, running, experience
Keita - Dribbling through the lines
Shaq - Creativity

Touch choice for Klopp as all 4 bring something unique to the table and all 4 have a good shout to start.

I very much doubt Shaq will start in that line up. It's great to use Shaq in that line up against teams that park the bus but this won't be it. We need a solid midfield to protect our backline.

Has to be Fabinho or Milner.

[Jay797]

If we can avoid defeat the pressure mounts on them big time, If we win they would surely think to themselves they have to go on a phenomenal win streak just to stay with us nevermind  win the prem!
Here's praying for 3pts but will obviously take a point right now!!

[PaulKS]

I know I will get hammered for this, but I think we can win our first title in 29 years on Thursday.

Shitting myself for it

[jepovic]

I’m back to work Thursday but I’ll be getting fuck all work done thinking about this match in the evening. I think Kloppo will play a midfield of Henderson, Wijnaldum and Fabinho. Rest of team picks itself. Very confident we’ll win which means I’ll be doing fuck all at work on Friday apart from writing the number 10 down and working out points permutations against future fixtures.

Yeah, I'd be surprised to see any other midfield. Shaqiri is clearly a level below the other midfielders in defense and is better used as an option off the bench if we need that. Milner isn't fit and Keita probably plays a bit too risky for this kind of game. Our top three are in great form so we really don't need much creativity from the midfield here. Keep it simple and wait for our chances.

[ac]

City will come out all out attack, with a high press like they did in the Champions league at the Eithad and like PSG/Arsenal/Red Star away this season. In each one of those games we seemed surprised by the intensity with the lack of an Alonso type/ball player in midfield getting exposed. On the positive side, the midfield is starting to play better, Gini was exceptional against arsenal, Henderson was good against Newcastle, Fabinho is starting to look the real deal and the front three seem to have clicked. Furthermore, the momentum is with us, in terms of confidence, form and fitness. I would love Keita to start and expose City's lack of defensive cover in midfield ala Ox but I suspect he isn't quite ready for this so would expect a midfield of Gini, Fabinho and Henderson

[McSquared]

Great OP Zlen.

[Nick110581]

I think it's fair to be a 'little' cagey in the first 15 minutes because we know that City is going to come at us like a train. They are the home team in a must-win game for them. I was the same in the CL second leg game.

Will he though?

He might keep it tight too

[vicar]

Will he though?

He might keep it tight too

I think he has to come at us. He can't let us grow into the game like we have been doing recently. We appear to have been the most vulnerable in the first 15-20 mins.
Undoubtedly a tough game but if we can be snapping into them early and winning the ball back high up and releasing our front three we could be a goal up early, then Guardiola will have a problem to solve.

I expect to see Shaqiri on the bench as a potential game changer later on. Not sure if he will start Keita or not. Seems an ideal player for this game, but not sure whether he is doing the things Klopp wants yet. Fabinho and Wijnaldum look certain starters.

[Djimi Smicer34]

Will he though?

He might keep it tight too

Yes - what other choice do he and City have?

They're seven points behind us, the onus is on them to close the gap, especially at home. 

[MNAA]

I know I will get hammered for this, but I think we can win our first title in 29 years on Thursday.

Shitting myself for it

No we can't

[Red_19]

So the biggest Liverpool game of the Premier League era is upon us. Win - 10 points clear with a belief that not even the 08/09 and 13/14 teams could match. Lose - and the title race is blown back open and a huge dent in our belief will emerge as teams will suddenly realise we’re not invincible. (See Palace and Leicester vs City in the past few weeks). One thing is for sure WE WILL get chances in this game. We can’t afford to waste them. This is our chance. We can kill them them off mentally with 3 points although 1 would be superb given our fixture list in January. Remember reds ‘anything is possible for those who believe’.

[spider-neil]

So the biggest Liverpool game of the Premier League era is upon us.

That was Chelsea at home in 13/14.
But this is certainly the second biggest.

[Red_19]

That was Chelsea at home in 13/14.
But this is certainly the second biggest.

My bad. Of course that was. My mind seems to have successfully blanked that game out which I’m glad about.

[Nick110581]

Yes - what other choice do he and City have?

They're seven points behind us, the onus is on them to close the gap, especially at home. 

But a draw is still not a bad result for them

[Djimi Smicer34]

But a draw is still not a bad result for them

It is.

City need to win, Pep knows that.

[Nick110581]

It is.

City need to win, Pep knows that.

7 points with 17 to play is still not impossible

[Djimi Smicer34]

7 points with 17 to play is still not impossible

But 4 points with 17 games to play is a much, much better position to be in.

If we were going there in 2nd place, 7 points behind them, very few people would be saying a draw would be a good result for us.  So it wouldn't be for them.  Given the form we're in, City need to win.

[spider-neil]

My bad. Of course that was. My mind seems to have successfully blanked that game out which I’m glad about.

Don't blame you. Easily the most gut-wrenching game I've ever watched and I'm including European finals.

[Red Beret]

This game is a paradox for me.

At once, easy and difficult to analyse; a game I am both confident and nervous over.

I'm nervous because I'm scared to be confident, I don't want to get cocky because that's when falling short hurts you the most.  But at the same time, City, after 18 months and one and a half seasons of untouchable form, seem to have burnt themselves out.  And we (Klopp) our their (Pep's) Nemesis.

They have to play, they have to win.  When they played us at Anfield, they were top and probably told themselves they could afford the draw.  That was a mistake.  And whilst we WONT be playing for a draw, it certainly wont hurt us if we do.

11v11 we can match them over the full 90; we are just getting into gear.  In theory there's nothing to fear, and that's why I'm afraid.  But I still believe.

My only real concern is that they try to get a man sent off, maybe one of our newer, less experienced signings.  I'm expecting a dirty fight, so I'm glad we started to fight a little dirty in the run up to this match - even though Salah going down easy is positively tame compared to some of the shit City and other club's players get up to.

[Suareznumber7]

Alison
TAA Lovren VVD Robbo
Fabinho
Wijnaldum Keita
Salah Firmino Mane

This is how I'd like to see us line up.  Would go back to a 3 man midfield and let Keita run riot against the City midfield which isn't at 100% right now. 

[Nick110581]

But 4 points with 17 games to play is a much, much better position to be in.

If we were going there in 2nd place, 7 points behind them, very few people would be saying a draw would be a good result for us.  So it wouldn't be for them.  Given the form we're in, City need to win.

I disagree.

Only cause they can win ten on the bounce.

[Djimi Smicer34]

I disagree.

Only cause they can win ten on the bounce.

And so can we.

Pep knows they need to win on Thursday, he'll be leaving his players in no doubt of that.

[JackWard33]

7 points with 17 to play is still not impossible

We’d be 80% ish at the bookies I’m guessing in that situation
The reality is it’s very tough to close that gap THIS season because we’re rolling the smaller teams so often - it’s just very hard for them to out pace us from there. Not impossible but really tough. 
10 I do think is close to impossible for them in the real world against our team this year