Game Week 25 Predictions: Goals to rain at Anfield

Revised shorter version (under 120 chars): Premier League preview: Liverpool vs Man City at Anfield – City chase 9-pt Arsenal gap, Pep's Anfield woes

 

Liverpool can have a say in the destination of the title this season; will Manchester City allow them to derail their charge? (Photo credit: Opta)

Liverpool vs Manchester City

Anfield

Kick-off: 5:30pm

This is one of those fixtures that can define a season beyond just the two clubs involved. No one wins the title in February, but this match will tell us plenty about how the rest of the campaign might unfold.

Arsenal beat Sunderland at the Emirates on Saturday, with Viktor Gyökeres coming off the bench to score twice. Manchester United made light work of Tottenham in the lunchtime kick-off, while Chelsea took Wolves apart around the same time Arsenal were dealing with Sunderland.

So what does all this mean? The Gunners are now nine points clear at the top. Should Manchester City fail to beat the Kop at Anfield, they might as well kiss their title hopes goodbye. On the other hand, if Liverpool fail to win, their top-four ambitions could suffer a serious blow, with both United and Chelsea gaining momentum.

Liverpool thrashed Newcastle last weekend, with Hugo Ekitiké scoring twice. Arne Slot has spoken confidently about his philosophy, but he knows his side must start fast and strong against the Cityzens. A win would keep them within touching distance of Chelsea and United in the race for Champions League places.

Manchester City bounced back from a frustrating draw with Tottenham by dispatching Newcastle at the Etihad in the second leg of the Carabao Cup. Now they must build on that momentum with a statement performance at Anfield.

Anfield has never been a comfortable venue for Pep Guardiola. His record there is among the poorest of his managerial career. In fact, there is no other stadium where Guardiola has coached more than five times and recorded more losses than wins. The big question is whether that changes on Sunday.

City must take all three points. Allowing Arsenal to maintain a nine-point cushion would almost hand Mikel Arteta the initiative in the title race. With thirteen games still to play, there would be time to fight back, but how realistic would it be for City to overhaul Arsenal from that distance?

City can welcome Rúben Dias and John Stones back from injury. Antoine Semenyo has been a revelation since arriving in January, while Omar Marmoush was outstanding in midweek against Newcastle. The question is whether City can truly impose themselves on Liverpool at Anfield.

Mohamed Salah is gradually finding his rhythm again, and the Egyptian boasts an excellent record against Manchester City. Slot will also hope Hugo Ekitiké continues his form, alongside Florian Wirtz, who is settling in as an increasingly valuable asset for the Reds.

All the ingredients are in place for a classic.

Verdict: Both teams to score.