Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City will take on Arne Slot’s Liverpool at the Etihad this Sunday in a huge Premier League clash that could give Pep’s former right-hand man, Mikel Arteta, a boost in the title race.
The last two champions of England are currently separated by a massive 17 points in the standings. While City have struggled this season, they are finally finding their rhythm at home again.
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While Manchester City’s hopes of winning a fifth consecutive Premier League title are fading fast, they can still play a key role in Liverpool’s title hopes while boosting their own Champions League qualification chances.
With City now focused solely on the Premier League and FA Cup, and with a loss in the Champions League, they’ll be aiming to salvage a top-four finish. Recently, they’ve been looking much more like the dominant team we know, winning three straight Premier League games at home, scoring at least three goals in each of those matches.
City’s form has been impressive recently, with a 4-0 win over Newcastle last weekend lifting them into fourth place. The team’s conversion rate in 2025 is a remarkable 24.7%, a huge improvement from their earlier struggles in the season.
For Liverpool, things are starting to unravel a bit. While they remain at the top of the league, their recent performances have shown cracks. A shaky 2-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers and a frustrating 2-2 draw at Aston Villa have raised some doubts. With Arsenal closing in on them,
Liverpool are looking to bounce back. They’ve won only one of their last four games across all competitions and have struggled on the road, winning just two of their last eight away games. However, Liverpool remains unbeaten in all their away Premier League matches this season.
Earlier in the season, Liverpool easily defeated City 2-0 at home, and while they’ve had success in recent seasons against City, the Reds haven’t swept the defending champions in a league campaign since 2010-11 against Chelsea.
This Sunday’s game promises to be a thrilling one as City try to derail Liverpool’s title charge.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
There was a collective gasp when Erling Haaland injured his knee in the final moments of City's win over Newcastle. After being sidelined for the game against Real Madrid, Guardiola couldn’t confirm if Haaland would be ready for Sunday’s match.
John Stones, unfortunately, won’t be available for the weekend after suffering a quadriceps injury just eight minutes into the loss to Real Madrid. Manuel Akanji (thigh), Oscar Bobb (calf), and Rodri (ACL) are still out as well.
If Haaland is cleared to play, he’ll be hoping to make an impact, but regardless, hat-trick hero Omar Marmoush will likely lead the charge in attack. At the other end, goalkeeper Ederson could make history by becoming the first keeper to register assists in three consecutive Premier League matches.
As for Liverpool, Cody Gakpo, who has missed the last two games due to injury, is a major doubt for the trip to City. Joe Gomez (thigh) and Tyler Morton (shoulder) will also be unavailable.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot is almost certain (99.9%) that Conor Bradley will miss the match after a hamstring issue in the Villa draw. However, apart from those absences, Liverpool are in good shape heading into this massive match, with Mohamed Salah looking to add another record to his illustrious career.
The Egyptian forward has been involved in 13 Premier League goals against Manchester City—eight goals and five assists—only Steven Gerrard (14) has contributed more against the Citizens in the competition.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Lewis, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol; Gonzalez; Savinho, Silva, Foden, Marmoush; Haaland
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold; Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Jota
EXPERT PREDICTION
Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool
It’s hard to say if it’s fatigue, pressure, or a mix of both, but Liverpool have started to slip a little in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Manchester City are back to their free-scoring best at home and are ready to capitalize on any opportunities.
Whether Haaland is available could be the key to whether the champions can take something from this huge clash. We could see Man City earning a valuable point, which might leave Liverpool feeling uneasy as they keep an eye on the teams behind them.
