Topic: Liverpool FC vs Man City, Sunday 13 April KO 1:37pm

[Persephone]

Not bad for a team that last season finished 7th...

[Asam]

I'd be amazed if we don't start with a diamond, Sterling at the tip, Gerrard, Lucas and Hendo-  we need someone to control Silva so I've suggested Lucas but Allen is good on his defensive work too-

the only other call is who to start at CB, any doubts over Agger should mean Sakho

[mart356]

Atmosphere is going to be the best the league has ever seen.

[bornandbRED]

They struggled with the poor man's Liverpool last weekend, looking quite leggy in the process. I'm absolutely convinced we'll win.

They beat them 4-1.

[BigRed100]

Yes

This.

[Barneylfc∗]

I'm not sure there's a word in the dictionary that covers the size of this game. Gargantuan, Collosal, monumental, even Brobdingnagian don't quite seem to cover it.

[Koprich]

They beat them 4-1.

Because they had a 3rd choice goalie on whom made a catalogue of crucial errors and were given a offside goal. If they play like that against us we'll av em

[naka]

Am I being stupid, or am I the only one who's finding the 13:37 kick off time unusual? Anyone shed a light on this?

yes

[Funky_Gibbons]

They beat them 4-1.

Their second goal was 5-yards off-side, that changed the game.

[HBAHFH]

They beat them 4-1.

You clearly didn't watch the game.

[dmorgan]

Clattenberg is the Ref.

[BigRed100]

Here we go! I think a truly awesome 90 minutes are ahead, especially considering the significance of this game with the anniversary.

Sweet fuck my nerves honestly cannot take another 5 of these things, my arse doesn't know what's going on these days! I try to remember what Brendan said before the Spurs game  ( I think) - just go out and enjoy it. But I can't. I am absolutely fucking brickin it. I don't know what I'll do if we pull this off. Seriously!

[TravisBickle]

 At this stage, it's looking like a title decider. It's tempting to say that whoever wins this will likely go on to win the title but it'd be a fool's move to rule out Chelsea at this stage. Of the three front runners, they have definitely 'blinked first' so to speak but Mourinho has successfully deflected pressure off his side, even if he has made himself look and sound a total idiot in the process. With Chelsea still to come to Anfield, they stand as good a chance as anyone. No matter what happens on Sunday, we've still got four games after that.

 It feels a lot like the stars are aligning though, doesn't it? The two frontrunners meeting at Anfield on the 25th anniversary of Hillsborough. Liverpool fighting for their first title in over two decades with our destiny firmly in our own hands. Given the ease with which we have brushed aside every 'big' side that has come to Anfield this year, I'm not worried. Nervous of course. But not worried. If there is a group of players I trust to do the business, it is this team we have currently.

 Anfield is going to be absolutely rocking. I doubt the Man City players, talented and moneyed though they are, will have seen anything like that. Actually, let me rephrase that: I doubt they will have experienced anything like that. The Anfield atmosphere has swept away far, far greater individuals and players than this lot. Juventus and that incredible Chelsea team in 2005. Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, they've all been ost under the wall of noise and sheer passion that is The Kop. This has everything.

 Furthermore, Man City have a poor record at Anfield. They haven't won here in over ten years, even when we've been in decline and they've had oil money fuelling their squads. For all the cash they've had injected, let us not forget that they are still Manchester City, a club with disaster written in it's DNA. They put up a feeble fight against Barcelona in the Champions League and Mourinho's Chelsea twice outplayed them in the league. Even Arsenal, in the midst of their most spectacular annual decline for years, managed to take a point from them. This side is certainly beatable.

 Come on you fucking Red Men. Win this and put yourselves in prime position to write yourself into history for ever more.

[MerseysideBrum]

Clattenburg, decent appointment IMO

[Wingman]

Here we go! I think a truly awesome 90 minutes are ahead, especially considering the significance of this game with the anniversary.

Sweet fuck my nerves honestly cannot take another 5 of these things, my arse doesn't know what's going on these days! I try to remember what Brendan said before the Spurs game  ( I think) - just go out and enjoy it. But I can't. I am absolutely fucking brickin it. I don't know what I'll do if we pull this off. Seriously!

I'll party ... hard! If we don't win the league then I'll be disappointed for a day or two then remember where we were just 4 years ago and the fact that most of us would have been made up with a top 4 finish back in August.

Either way I'll be happy.

[bissozwei]

I need to know what JohnM's wife has read in the tea leaves if I am to survive until Sunday.

[Carly]

As it seems quite topical at the moment, Officals for the City game:-

Ref: Mark Clattenburg   
Lino 1: G Beswick   
Lino 2: D Cann   
4th Spare part: L Mason

Was hoping for Clattenburg or Dowd so that's good news.  Hopefully it will be Dowd for the Chelsea game.  Looks like the FA have caught on regards to Webb and Mason Reffing our big games hopefully.

[Los back. Thanks.]

Nerves can't take it.... this is going to be a long week.

We need to smash these, I really dont want heart failure 

[Big Red Richie]

Was hoping for Clattenburg or Dowd so that's good news.  Hopefully it will be Dowd for the Chelsea game.  Looks like the FA have caught on regards to Webb and Mason Reffing our big games hopefully.

I still think we'll get Webb for one of our games before the end of the season.  Unfortunately.

[Koprich]

I still think we'll get Webb for one of our games before the end of the season.  Unfortunately.

If so, let it be Newcastle please!

[swoopy]

As it seems quite topical at the moment, Officals for the City game:-

Ref: Mark Clattenburg   
Lino 1: G Beswick   
Lino 2: D Cann   
4th Spare part: L Mason

Thank Christ for that!

[MerseysideBrum]

Was hoping for Clattenburg or Dowd so that's good news.  Hopefully it will be Dowd for the Chelsea game.  Looks like the FA have caught on regards to Webb and Mason Reffing our big games hopefully.

Dowd is ref for Swansea Chelsea this weekend hopefully he does us a favor

[emitime]

I'm not sure there's a word in the dictionary that covers the size of this game. Gargantuan, Collosal, monumental, even Brobdingnagian don't quite seem to cover it.

Well... perhaps we could call it "humongous". And I know just the man for the occasion.

[MrRaptorTurtle]

I feel so much calmer now knowing that we have Clattenburg in charge, reckon we'll get at least 1 pen...which Stevie will bury of course! 3-1 to us!

[I-was-watching-it-on-Sky]

That corridor of space between Toure and Demichelis imo could be the key if we can get Sterling in there to receive the ball and run at Demichelis. Suarez`s free-kicks havent been working lately but they might be our best chance in a game with everything at stake.

Toure as brilliant as he is at times can be a proper lazy f*cker and we need to take advantage of that as much as we can.

If I was Brendan I`d be telling our forwards to stay away from Kompany and focus on getting at Demichelis and Kolarov.

Spot on...!

Play on Demichelis' side an a tad deeper...enough to tempt him to come forward out of position (I think he's not disciplined enough to hold position for 90min)...n let the runner(s) go past Kompany.

[Snail]

Clattenburg's alright with me. Winds up the bitters too.

[Miltonred]

Seven reasons we should be very  optimistic...

1- We played them at their ground at Christmas, without Daniel Sturridge and were mightily unlucky not to win, let alone to get nothing from the game. Dominant performance, poor refereeing, conceded a poor second goal.

2- Since that day Liverpool look a much better team, while City look about the same at best, slightly jaded at worst.

3- Sergio Aguero their top scorer is not fit, and if by some miracle he does play, is not match sharp.

4- City's away performance at Arsenal was turgid. A poor Arsenal team kept them very quiet and once they equalised City looked tired and ready to settle for a draw.

5- City have lost or drawn half of their away fixtures this year.

6- Our approach to playing top teams at Anfield this year, which amounts to "shock and awe", has proven extremely successful, the players will be confident they can beat anyone at Anfield now.

7- Its a special day for more reasons than a football game, and the atmosphere will be unlike anything any City fans have experienced before.

...and of course our players and our manager.

[riismeister]

I still think we'll get Webb for one of our games before the end of the season.  Unfortunately.

How long since we had Oliver? He's pretty decent.

[McSquared]

As it seems quite topical at the moment, Officals for the City game:-

Ref: Mark Clattenburg   
Lino 1: G Beswick   
Lino 2: D Cann   
4th Spare part: L Mason

Beswick's a suburb of Manchester..... I smell a rat

[Ycuzz]

My oh my what a game this will be.

This week will be a proper long one. Probably gonna go thru the whole specter of emotions - will most likely find a fair few new ones along the way o_O..

 

[RossoBianchi]

I think you'll smash them - City are winning games but not with the same energy and dynamism as Liverpool at present. The momentum you've got - added to the significance of Sunday - will get you over the line IMO. The only danger I can see is - as good as he's been offensively - Gerrard left with the role of picking up an in-form Silva. I assume Lucas might start for this reason with Gerrard pushing on?

[itsgunnabebarnes!]

Is aguero back for this?

[alonsoisared]

Lucas did a job on Silva a couple of seasons ago...if Rodgers thinks he's fit/sharp enough then he'd be ideal.

[GlenJohnson2]

Is aguero back for this?

According to Pellegrini he is.

[Jehst1979]

25 years for Hillsborough, possible title deciding game, at home, with our forward line, with those beautiful 96 angels looking over us, you could say its made for us to win and to go on and win the title, football doesn't half create movie like stories, i think this could be another one....

[Gods_Left_Boot]

Is aguero back for this?

Should be according to the reports, but he recently moaned in the press about being rushed back from his last injury and suffering a setback, so I wouldn't be 100% sure. Best bet is that he'll' be in the squad but not starting, I reckon.

[killer-heels]

I think City will bring in Garcia, move Toure further forward and move Silva out wide, with Nasri/Navas dropping to the bench. Think Dzeko will continue up front with Aguero able to be called upon.

You would imagine we will line up the same as against Everton and Arsenal. You would think a diamond formation would give them too much space out wide?

[goalrushatgoodison]

I'd be amazed if we don't start with a diamond,

We will start with eleven diamonds mate.

[Mighty_Red]

I think City will bring in Garcia, move Toure further forward and move Silva out wide, with Nasri/Navas dropping to the bench. Think Dzeko will continue up front with Aguero able to be called upon.

You would imagine we will line up the same as against Everton and Arsenal. You would think a diamond formation would give them too much space out wide?

Depends on whether that would negate the impact of Silva who has been the focus of their attack, esp in the last few months. It may give Toure the licence to go forward but it may give us the chance to press Garcia and win the ball before it even gets to Toure.

Deffo agree that we will probably set up in a similar way to Arsenal. Like Arsenal, City are not used to being attacked and being pressed, it'll be interesting to see what happens when they are not dictating play. Brendan knows he got most things right in the away game, we just made mistakes to let them off the hook.

As with many of our games, I think we will look to target their full backs, who are good going forward but not the best defensively. Keeping them pinned back will lose them a lot of width. I think Suarez will do that kind of job, keeping him away from Kompany. If Kompany senses the danger and tries to follow him - the pace of Sterling and Sturridge will come into play.

[Wiss_LFC]

Please destroy these c*nts, i'll take any win right now but I hope we put a few goals past them.

I hope Brendan plays the diamond formation so we can control the game, debating whether Lucas should start over Coutinho..