Liverpool Eager to Avoid Slip-Up Against Manchester City
Liverpool will be eager to avoid another setback when they visit the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City on Sunday. The Reds have been held to a draw in their last two Premier League away games – against Everton and Aston Villa – and now sit just eight points ahead of second-placed Arsenal, having played a game more.
The Gunners can move to within five points of Liverpool by kick-off at the Etihad as they host West Ham on Saturday afternoon. Liverpool played well at Villa Park, much better than they did last Sunday when they narrowly edged out Wolves 2-1 at Anfield, but they looked nervous in doing so.
The Form of Darwin Nunez
Darwin Nunez will hope to perform better if called upon after missing a gilt-edged chance against Villa. Boss Arne Slot was not annoyed by the miss itself, but more by the Uruguay striker’s reaction to it.
“I can accept every miss, especially from a player that has scored two very important goals against Brentford,” Slot said. “In the game against Villa, I would prefer him to score, but the word ‘chance’ says it all – it’s a ‘chance’. It’s not 100% sure that the ball goes in.
“But what was a bit harder for me to accept was his behaviour after that chance. And by ‘behaviour’ I mean I think it got too much in his head and he wasn’t the usual Darwin that works his a** off and makes sure he helps the team.
“I think he was too disappointed after missing that chance.”
Let’s take a look back at some memorable Etihad moments against Liverpool ⏮️ 🤩 pic.twitter.com/U1TOpjprJd
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 21, 2025
Manchester City Looking to Bounce Back
Manchester City will hope to bounce back from the midweek mauling against Real Madrid, a 3-0 defeat that has outlined the size of the overhaul required at the Etihad. It appears time has caught up with many of their ageing stars, and Pep Guardiola has a big summer of rebuilding ahead of him.
City’s recent league performances have been wildly inconsistent. They beat Newcastle 4-0 last weekend, two weeks after losing 5-1 at Arsenal.
Injury News for Manchester City v Liverpool
- Guardiola will be hoping Erling Haaland will be available after he wasn’t fit enough to come off the bench in Madrid.
- John Stones is definitely out.
- Manuel Akanji remains sidelined.
Liverpool’s main injury doubt is Cody Gakpo. The Dutch international has missed their last two games, but Slot said it would be a “close call” on whether he would be involved at the Etihad.
The Liverpool boss does not expect right-back Conor Bradley to make the City game or the midweek clash with Newcastle.
Joe Gomez has just had surgery on a hamstring, but Slot is not ruling out the possibility of the Englishman returning before the end of the season.
Potential Lineups:
Manchester City: Ederson; Lewis, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol; Gonzalez, Kovacic, De Bruyne, Marmoush, Savinho; Haaland
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Diaz
This crucial Premier League clash promises to be an exciting encounter, with both teams looking to secure a vital victory. Liverpool will be determined to bounce back and maintain their lead at the top, while Manchester City will be eager to show their resilience and close the gap. Fans can look forward to a thrilling tactical battle between two of the league’s heavyweights.
