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Manchester City vs. Liverpool FC
The big showdown in the Premier League is coming up next Sunday! Eight matchdays before the end of the season, league leaders Manchester City will host their only remaining rivals Liverpool FC. The match will kick off at the Etihad Stadium at 17:30.
This season, the two top clubs in England are once again the measure of all things. For a long time it looked as if the Citizens would march towards the eighth championship in the club’s history relatively undisturbed. However, the last few weeks and months have made the title fight even more exciting. While Liverpool have taken the full 30 points in their last ten league games, City have twice had to settle for a draw – apart from the 3-2 defeat at Spurs. The 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace on the penultimate day of the season has reduced their lead over the Reds to a single point.
With a win on Sunday, Liverpool could return to the top of the table for the first time since Matchday 6. Whether we actually see the visitors having the advantage in the summit clash, and what other predictions we would make on this game, is now revealed in our Man City vs Liverpool tip.
Man City – Liverpool Info
– Date & Time: 10.04.2022, 17:30 Uhr
– Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
– Competition: Premier League, Matchday 32
– TV coverage: Sky Sport
Man City Form & Balance Check
The fact that the championship battle in the Premier League is actually becoming exciting again is basically down to the Citizens themselves. Of course, even a top team like Manchester City cannot be expected to win every single game, but after previously winning 12 in a row, it came as something of a surprise that Pep Guardiola’s eleven have dropped seven points in their last eight games on the road. Between the two draws at Southampton (1-1) and Crystal Palace (0-0), the Skyblues were beaten 3-2 by Tottenham Hotspur at home. Curiously, the Citizens have now conceded two of their three defeats of the season against Spurs.
Citizens have everything in their own hands
Even though the lead over Liverpool has shrunk to one point, the defending champions still have everything in their own hands. If Man City win on Sunday, they will be four points clear again, which should normally be enough with seven games remaining. In the event of a defeat, Phil Foden and his colleagues will slip into the chasing pack for the remainder of the season. However, a look at the past should encourage the hosts.
Liverpool’s last Premier League away win at Manchester City dates back to 21 November 2015 (1-4). Since then, there have been three wins for City and two draws at the Etihad Stadium in this clash. In any case, the preparations for the top match have already been successful. In the league, there was a 2-0 win at Burnley FC and in the Champions League, Guardiola’s team beat Atlético Madrid 1-0 in the quarter-final first leg.
Man City facts & analysis
– 73 points from 30 games.
– Most recent 2-0 win at Burnley
– Lost only 1 of last 12 league home games against Liverpool
– Only conceded 1 goal in last 5 competitive matches
Liverpool form & balance check
After a near perfect Premier League year so far in 2022, Liverpool FC’s title hopes are alive again! Only the very first league game of the year (2-2 at Chelsea on 2 January) the Reds failed to win. It was the last game of a very short period of weakness around the turn of the year, at least if you look at the points yield. The 2-2 draw at Tottenham Hotspur was followed by a 1-0 defeat at Leicester City, before LFC also failed to get beyond a draw at Chelsea FC in the aforementioned match.
Reds in the best phase of the season
Since then, however, the record of Jürgen Klopp’s eleven reads impeccable. With ten wins in a row (with a goal difference of 25:2), the Reds are in by far the best phase of the season. The vice-championship is already in the bag, but Sadio Mané & Co. will not be satisfied with that. A win in the direct duel is a must, however, because Man City tend to have the better cards for the title, not only because of the current table situation, but also with regard to the remaining programme.
While Liverpool still have to face Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, among others, in the rest of the season, the Citizens from the top half of the table only have to face West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanders. But regardless of that, we think whoever wins Sunday’s clash will be top of the table at the end of the season.
Liverpool facts & analysis
– 72 points from 30 games.
– Last lost 2-0 against Watford
– Won last 10 league games
– Only 2 goals conceded in last 10 games
Predicted line-up – last update on 8 April 2022
Both coaches will send the eleven into the race with which they think they have the best chance of winning. However, it is not easy to predict who will be on the pitch at every position. Man City are still without a very important defender in Ruben Dias, so John Stones and Aymeric Laporte will form the central defence. Otherwise, all Citizens are fit. The Reds can draw on a full complement of players. In our opinion, Roberto Firmino and Luis Diaz will be on the bench.
Man City – Liverpool direct comparison & Statistics
171 times the two clubs have played each other. With 81 to 47 victories, the direct comparison clearly favours Liverpool FC. In recent years, however, City have had a narrow lead. The Skyblues have won two of the last five meetings, while Liverpool have only won once in that period. The last two meetings at Anfield Road ended in a 4-1 defeat for City and a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the current season, with the Reds’ last away win in the Premier League coming in November 2015 (4-1). Since then, there has only been one away win at the Etihad Stadium, in the 2017/18 Champions League quarter-finals (1-2).
– The most common result between Manchester City and Liverpool FC is 1-1 when Manchester City had home advantage. 4 games ended like this.
– Last season’s comparisons between the two clubs: 1-1 (home for Manchester City) and 1-4 (home for Liverpool FC).
– Did you know that Liverpool FC score 23% of their goals between the 76-90 minute?
– When Manchester City lead 1-0 in home games, they win 95% of the games.
