Despite the draw, Pep Guardiola's team remains at the top of the Premier League table, holding a one-point advantage over second-placed Liverpool. The hosts are banking on their outstanding home form, having won each of their last 23 games at the Etihad Stadium since drawing 1-1 with Everton on New Year's Eve in 2022. This remarkable run includes 15 Premier League victories, five in the Champions League, and three in the FA Cup.
This winning streak surpasses the previous record set by Manchester United in 2011, making it the longest winning run by a Premier League team in history. Another milestone was achieved in October when City became the first Premier League team to win each of their first 14 home matches in a calendar year. The streak has since been extended to 15 games with a convincing 6-1 win over Bournemouth.
In the Champions League, City's recent 3-0 home victory against Young Boys marked their 18th consecutive unbeaten match in Europe, setting a new record for English clubs.
Guardiola's squad is now on the verge of equaling the longest winning home run by an English top-division club. Sunderland holds the current record with an impressive 24-game winning streak at home between 1891 and 1892. Throughout this remarkable home run, City has scored 67 goals, finding the net at least twice in 20 of the 23 matches, while conceding only 11 goals.
Erling Haaland, the top scorer for City during this run with 24 goals, is in a race against time to recover from an ankle injury sustained on international duty with Norway. A victory over Liverpool would see City match Sunderland's historic record, and Liverpool, having failed to win in their last seven Premier League visits to the Etihad, faces a tough challenge against Guardiola's formidable side.
