Again we go into a match and i'm not sure what system we'll use. That's probably a good thing as neither do the opposition. What's the best approach? Do we play 442 diamond, get the extra man in the central area, allow City's fullbacks to bomb forward leaving Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling(at the tip of the diamond) up against their two centre backs on the counter. It's worked away but is that too conservative for Anfield? Should we go 433 and try and attack them like Arsenal, Everton and Spurs.
One of the great things about Rafa was that in big, big games, he was quite willing to go for substance over style, regardless of whether it was a home or away game. Some games, you just have to do what you need to do to win. If we were to set up more defensively, concede possession a bit more than we like to, clog the middle where City are strong, and rely on the 3v2 you talk about to get us a goal, then we might be in for a frustrating game from an entertainment point of view, but a brilliant outcome in terms of the result. I think almost all Liverpool supporters would accept that trade-off at this point of the season. For me, as an avid supporter and believer in Rodgers from the very first day, if he were to win this game in a pure tactical sense, then that would just elevate him to a whole new level of management. It would be a great precursor to next season in the Champions League.
If we go into the game in an attacking 4-3-3 betting our attack versus theirs, it will be a very entertaining game for all who watch - but I think the result might end up hinging on a few mistakes, rather than any sort of dominance from either side. Our home form versus City's away form would suggest we are slight favourites, but in big games like these, the form book doesn't usually apply.
If we set up in the diamond, I think it will be a very tense game to be a part of (as spectator, coach or player), but I also think we'll generate a lot more control of it than if we simply try to outscore them