« on: February 7, 2021, 03:36:17 pm »
Date: Sunday 07 February 2021
Kick Off/TV: 16:30 Sky Sports Main Event HD
Venue:
Officials
Referee – Michael Oliver
Assistants – Stuart Burt, Simon Bennett
Fourth Official – Chris Kavanagh
VAR Official – Paul Tierney
Assistant VAR Official – Constantine Hatzidakis
Form Guide (League Only)
Champions – LWWLD
Manchester City – WWWWW
Previous league meetings
08/11/2020 – Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool (Jesus, Salah)
02/07/2020 – Manchester City 4-0 Liverpool (De Bruyne (p), Sterling, Foden, Oxlade-Chamberlain OG)
10/11/2019 – Liverpool 3-1 Manchester City (Fabinho, Salah, Mane, B Silva)
03/01/2019 – Manchester City 2-1 Liverpool (Aguero, Sane, Firmino)
07/10/2018 – Liverpool 0-0 Manchester City
14/01/2018 – Liverpool 4-3 Manchester City (Oxlade-Chamberlain, Firmino, Mane, Salah, Sane, B Silva, Gundogan)
Preview
What a very different scenario we are facing coming into the game than what many would have anticipated when the fixtures came out. Many Reds would have had this circled as a crucial day in the title race, the day where we could take a giant stride towards number 20.
Injuries, luck, form and fatigue dictate otherwise. We head into Sunday off the back of a bitterly disappointing performance at home to Brighton with the visitors collecting a deserved three points. What made the performance harder to swallow was the fact the Reds had put in two excellent away performances at Tottenham and West Ham and had looked like they had firmly put the Christmas blues behind them. Nevertheless, Sunday remains a must win for different reasons, with a number of teams vying for the top four spots around us. You have to say it is do or die for Liverpool for any remaining title hopes.
These two teams have without doubt been the best two sides in England by some distance in recent years – possibly even the best two sides ever in this country, managed by two of the finest coaches the game has produced. In 2017/2018, Pep Guardiola’s side were cantering to the Premier League title looking invincible, until a rampant Liverpool demolished them at Anfield in a dazzling second half display, the first indication that we truly were potential challengers for the biggest prizes again. Whilst City would still go on to win the title, the two sides would meet again in the Champions League quarter-finals, with the Reds triumphing 5-1 on aggregate en route to the final. The 2018/2019 campaign was a season like no other, with a pulsating title race going down to the final day, the Abu Dhabi PR Machine ultimately pipping the Reds to the title by 99 points to 97. Liverpool would get revenge the following campaign, cruising to a first title in 30 years with an eventual 18 point gap to City in 2nd.
The different feel around this game will perhaps be most felt in the absence of supporters at Anfield. The famous old ground would ordinarily be a bearpit on a Sunday 4.30pm kick off for a game of this magnitude against rivals of this calibre. With our players in a bad moment, this would be where we come into our own, welcoming the bus to the ground and producing a white hot atmosphere for the players to walk into. Many a City team have withered in front of the Kop in recent years when the chips have been down, including in last years encounter, where a Fabinho rocket set the ball rolling, or in the Champions League when the Reds had effectively won the tie at half time in the first leg. Indeed, you have to go all the way back to 2003 to find the last time a City team triumphed at Anfield. It may be that they never have a better opportunity to do so.
This promises to be an intriguing encounter. We will have far more space to play our football in than in recent games at Anfield where we have struggled to break down low blocks. Guardiola has been more pragmatic in games against us at times recently, happy to sit back and use the space that is left in behind our full backs. The game in November saw Liverpool fly out of the traps before a City equaliser through a controversial handball, which saw the handball rule subsequently change. The second half was a cagey affair with both sides seemingly happy with a point in the context of the title race. That may well be different on Sunday – a City win would all but seal the title for them, whilst we are desperate for the points to solidify our top four spot and reignite the belief that we can catch them still. It looks set to be a cracker.
Team News
I will update this further as we approach the weekend, but the information is accurate at the time of writing. Virgil van Dijk (ACL) and Joe Gomez (tendon), remain long term absentees. Joel Matip (ankle) has also joined his fellow centre backs on the sidelines for the rest of the campaign. Diogo Jota (knee) is back in training but this may come too soon. Fabinho and Sadio Mane have missed the last two matches with minor muscle injuries and the Reds will be desperately hoping they are fit to play. Alisson should return from illness, and I’ve got no idea if or when to expect Naby Keita back in a red shirt.
Man City will be without dangermen Sergio Aguero (Covid-19) and Kevin de Bruyne (hamstring), whilst Nathan Ake has been out for the past ten matches.
Liverpool predicted line-up (4-3-3); Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Henderson, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Thiago, Milner, Salah, Firmino, Mane
Writers prediction
Klopp’s mentality monsters will have to show it in spades here, but we have a very good record against top six sides this season and a fixture like this may suit us at this time. City haven’t quite been at their brilliant best but have been ruthlessly efficient over the past few weeks, collecting a number of clean sheets and narrow victories to open up a gap at the top.
I’m backing the visitors Anfield hoodoo to continue and Liverpool to find their groove at home again. It’s time to begin rebuilding the breached fortress. 2-1 to the Reds, Mo with a brace.
Come on you Mighty Reds!
YNWA
« Last Edit: February 7, 2021, 06:10:49 pm by TepidT2O »
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