The best English clubs of recent years meet at Anfield. Josep Guardiola’s team has a 13-match winning streak.
The central match of the 23rd round of the English Premier League will be held at “Anfield”, where Liverpool coached by Jürgen Klopp, and Josep Guardiola’s Manchester City will face each other.
Anything can happen in the confrontation of the last years of the English Championship’s victors. Still, if this time Liverpool lose the third game in a row within their walls, 13 rounds before the end of the English Championship, it will practically finish the dream of keeping the title.
Liverpool
If Liverpool lost a total of three games in the last Premier League season, Klopp’s players already have 4 matches in which they have not scored a point. Nevertheless, the Merseysiders are still considered among the contenders for the Championship. The confrontation with City, which are at the top of the table, will either strengthen their status or further alienate them from the group of leaders.
But what is remarkable is that Liverpool have not lost to the “tops” of the Championship this season. Klopp’s team lost to teams and outsiders in the middle of the table. They conceded more than one goal only once – 0: 1 to Southampton, 0: 1 to Burnley, 0: 1 to Brighton and the sick 2: 7 to Aston Villa.
The impression remains that Liverpool will find it difficult to find the key to the Premier League midfielders who are well-defended and can attack. On the other hand, Merseyside has no difficulty scoring points against direct rivals. That certainly adds to the hosts’ optimism with City.
There are several top players in Liverpool’s hospital. Still, the reality is that the Merseysiders are already accustomed to the constant loss of Virgil Van Dijk and Diogo Jota, as well as the constant problems of Joel Matip and Nabi Keita. Sadio Mane’s game with City is doubtful. Still, Jürgen Klopp does not lose hope that the Senegalese will be fit for the next match.
Manchester City
Josep Guardiola will meet the match at “Anfield” without Sergio Aguero and Kevin de Bruyne. Pep taught the team to play without the latter (4 wins in 4 matches), not to mention the former. But all these victories were with the teams at the bottom of the Premier League table. Now Manchester will have to overcome a completely different resistance. The absence of the Belgian in the centre of the field will have a significant impact on the severity of City’s attacks.
On the other hand, Manchester City are in very good shape. That is evidenced by 13 consecutive wins in all competitions and an 18-match unbeaten streak. After all, City have conceded just four goals in their last 20 games. That means Guardiola has also found the perfect tandem in the centre of defense – in the form of John Stones and Ruben Diaz.
The impression remains that Pep’s team, which is 3 and 5 points ahead of its closest followers, Manchester United and Leicester, respectively, and with the game in reserve, no one can escape the lead in the table. The upcoming match at Anfield will largely reveal how sound these expectations are.