Man City vs Liverpool predicted lineups and team news | OneFootball

Manchester City will welcome rivals Liverpool to the Etihad on Sunday hoping to bounce back from their Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid.

Arne Slot’s side, meanwhile, are desperate to maintain their eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League. This game, scheduled for 4:30pm, will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Premier League.

Man City vs Liverpool predicted lineups

Man City (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Nunes, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol; Gonzalez, Kovacic; Savinho, De Bruyne, Foden; Marmoush

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Roberston; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Diaz

Man City vs Liverpool team news

Pep Guardiola still has a dilemma at right-back after sending Kyle Walker on loan to AC Milan and not having any other natural options in that position. Matheus Nunes and Rico Lewis have been played there in recent games — as has new signing Abdukodir Khusanov, though he had a torrid time against Real Madrid.

Mateo Kovacic was benched in the midweek defeat as Guardiola tinkered with his formation but expect him to come back into the fold alongside either Nico Gonzalez or Ilkay Gundogan.

Savinho, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden are all options to make up Guardiola’s attacking three behind the striker. But it might be time for Kevin de Bruyne to return to the starting XI after being benched of late, to give the team some much needed creativity.

Erling Haaland is the big doubt for this game after being an unused substitute at the Bernabeu. As a result, Guardiola may have to persist with Omar Marmoush up front after admitting Haaland had discomfort while walking before the trip to Spain.

For Liverpool, Slot should play the same back four that beat Wolverhampton Wanderers last week, with Trent Alexander-Arnold keeping his place at right back after Conor Bradley’s ongoing injury.

There will also be no place for Joe Gomez after having surgery on a hamstring problem that likely rules him out for the season, so Virgil van Dijk will play alongside Ibrahima Konate in defence.

The midfield won’t be shaken up so expect to see Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister continue their superb midfield partnership. But Slot will have a decision to make about Cody Gakpo, who has missed the team’s last two games after sustaining a knock in the draw against Everton.

Mo Salah will look to maintain his excellent goalscoring form against Man City, while Luis Diaz is expected to lead the line in front of No.10 Dominik Szoboszlai.

A pivotal match for the Premier League

Man City’s turbulent season shows no signs of ending after they were comfortably brushed aside by Real Madrid in the Champions League play-offs, exiting the competition with a 6-3 defeat on aggregate across both legs.

It doesn’t get any easier as they now take on the Premier League leaders, with Guardiola hoping to record a second successive win after a 4-0 win over Newcastle United last time out.

Man City are struggling for consistency after previously being thumped 5-1 by Liverpool’s title rivals Arsenal earlier this month and the team will be eager to secure their place in the Champions League spots.

Guardiola will be frustrated that his side are 17 points off Liverpool after watching Man City’s title bid fall apart. And he knows it’s vital to pick up as many points as possible, with tough games to come against Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest next.

Liverpool dropped points against Aston Villa in midweek and Arne Slot will be drilling into his players that they cannot afford to drop too many more, with Arsenal breathing down their necks.

The Gunners have the advantage of playing their home game against West Ham United before Liverpool, which means their eight-point lead could be cut to five before kick-off at the Etihad.

Before the draw at Villa, Liverpool beat Wolves 2-1 at home, but have now drawn two of their last three games after also being held to a 2-2 draw by Everton.

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