This article is part of our Soccer Picks series.
Liverpool and Manchester City meet Sunday at Anfield in their 227th all-time contest. Liverpool enter the fixture feeling optimistic about their quest for the Premier League crown as they've reeled off four wins and one draw over their last five league fixtures en route to an eight-point lead in the Premier League table. The streaking Reds have a difficult task ahead as they look to recover from a midweek primer at Anfield when they lined up opposite of Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Manchester City enter the fixture in a downward spiral as the Citizens find themselves in the worst run of from they've experienced since 2006. Following a stretch of five successive defeats (all competitions), Manchester City's perilous plight became more evident in their midweek Champions League clash Tuesday when they allowed three goals in the final 15 minutes, relinquishing a three-goal advantage and drawing 3-3 with Feyenoord.
Liverpool and Manchester City enter the weekend as the top two teams in English football, though Liverpool have built an early gap between themselves and the chasing title contenders. The Reds boast a 10-1-1 record in Arne Slot's first season in charge.
Premier League Predicted & Confirmed Lineups
Premier League Schedule and Fixture Difficulty Ranker
HEAD TO HEAD
Liverpool and Manchester City have met on 226 occasions, dating back to 1893 when City, then known as Ardwick A.F.C., fell 1-0 in a League Division Two match. Over their last 10 meetings in all competitions, the clubs have each experienced the highs of victory and lows of defeat with each side having won three matches and drawn on four occasions.
Liverpool lead the all-time series, having won 108 times and drawn in 58 instances. Most recently, the clubs drew in each of their Premier League matchups during the 2023/2024 campaign, playing to 1-1 draws at Anfield and the Etihad Stadium.
ODDS
Moneyline
DraftKings: LIV +110 Draw +265, MCI +220 (PROMO CODE)
FanDuel: LIV +115 Draw +280, MCI +210 (PROMO CODE)
BetMGM: LIV +110 Draw +270, MCI +225 (BONUS CODE)
Bet365: LIV +110 Draw +260, MCI +230 (BONUS CODE)
LINEUP NOTES & INJURY NEWS
Liverpool
Liverpool have been fortunate with regard to injury this season relative to their fellow Premier League title contenders, though the Reds continue to nurse three long-term injuries.
First-choice goalkeeper Alisson has not appeared since Oct. 5, missing five successive league fixtures after suffering a hamstring injury. He has been spotted in training recently but remains a doubt for the clash with City. Caoimhin Kelleher will continue to start between the sticks.
Newcomer Federico Chiesa and long-serving attacker Diogo Jota each continue to train apart from the first team as they work back from injury. In Jota's absence, Darwin Nunez has featured in the No. 9 role. The Uruguayan has made seven appearances (five starts) in all competitions, scored twice and assisted once since Jota suffered his injury.
On the short-term injury front, Kostas Tsimikas (ankle) has missed the last two matches (all competitions) after picking up a knock in training. He was left off of the team sheet in their midweek UCL tilt with Real Madrid. Conor Bradley suffered a hamstring issue midweek and is unlikely to start, but Trent Alexander-Arnold returned from his injury and stayed on the bench against Real Madrid.
Manchester City
Manchester City continue to navigate injuries as key players remain on the fringes of being available.
Central defenders John Stones and Ruben Dias are questionable for Sunday's high-profile tilt. Stones returned from a three-game absence only to limp to the sidelines after 45 minutes and miss City's following fixture versus Feyenoord. Dias has not appeared in four matches but made the team sheet as an unused substitute in their midweek UCL match. Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake lined up in the heart of the City defense midweek with young Jahmai Simpson-Pusey making his second career UCL appearance in relief of Ake.
Jeremy Doku was pictured in training ahead of City's clash with Feyenoord but was left off of the team sheet. If available Saturday, expect manager Pep Guardiola to limit his minutes if selected to the starting XI or hold the attacker in a substitute role. Otherwise, Guardiola has his full contingent of attacking options at his disposal.
Mateo Kovacic, who had been the option Guardiola has turned to in the absence of Rodri (knee), is on the shelf for three-to-four weeks after picking up an injury on international duty with Croatia. City are mixing and matching what they've done in the midfield with Ilkay Gundogan seeing the bulk of those minutes.
FORMATIONS
Despite the injuries to their backline and their recent displays of susceptibility to opponent counter attacks, Manchester City are likely to continue to invert a defender into the midfield, creating a 3-2-4-1 formation while in possession in an effort to out number the three-man Liverpool midfield. Some combination of Rico Lewis and Josko Gvardiol are the most likely candidates to fill this role for Pep. However, given recent results, it's not inconceivable that City implement a more defensive-minded approach in an effort to end their Premier League losing streak.
Liverpool have employed a 4-2-3-1 under Slot with the predominant trio of Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai the central midfield spots, though Curtis Jones has seen a heavy amount of run lately.
When in possession, expect Liverpool to utilize Trent Alexander-Arnold as an additional midfielder, while shifting to a backline of three defenders. When this occurs, front-man Nunez has served as a target forward, drawing defenders to his position as overlapping wingers and midfielders whizz by. Superstar Mohamed Salah has license to float in from the wing to a more central-right area or take on his defender one-on-one down the flank.
When dispossessed, look for Liverpool to adopt a more standard 4-3-3 shape, aiming to spring Salah, Cody Gakpo, or Luis Diaz into the opponent's half. Liverpool will likely boast the same back four they've started in each Premier League match this season: Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, and Ibrahima Konate, though the latter picked up a knock midweek.
With Manchester City's sudden fragility having been exposed and Liverpool playing before the Anfield faithful, I expect a Reds side firing on all cylinders to control the fixture through possession via their midfield and take the fight to their rivals and defending champions.
RECENT FORM
Liverpool (WWWW) are unbeaten in the Premier League since their 1-0 Matchday 4 loss to Nottingham Forest. Over their most recent five league fixtures, Slot's men have outscored opponents 11-7 on aggregate.
Manchester City (DLLLL) are experiencing their worst run of form under Guardiola, his worst run of form in his managerial career. In their most recent draw with Feyenoord, City capitulated three goals in the 74th, 82nd an 89th minute to drop a three-goal advantage and prolong their unfamiliar window of misery.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Cody Gakpo: Gakpo was an option off the bench in Liverpool's midweek marquee fixture versus Real Madrid, leaving the key attacker fresh for a stringent test against Manchester City. Over his last five appearances (three starts) in all competitions, Gakpo has attempted 12 shots (five on goal) and scored twice. I expect the forward to continue to find pockets against City's down-trodden defensive unit and test the City net.
Kevin De Bruyne: After missing eight matches due to a groin injury, De Bruyne has made four successive substitute appearances, the longest of which came in the final 22 minutes of the 3-3 draw with Feyenoord. If De Bruyne is fit, there can be no better time for Guardiola to remove the bubble wrap from his superstar midfielder in an effort to administer life-saving measures to City's title hopes.
BETTING PICKS & PREDICTION
Premier League Odds Comparisons
Man of the Match: Mohamed Salah
In the highest profile of fixtures, world class players cement their status at the top of global football by making definitive statements with their play. With Liverpool having the benefit of Anfield at their backs and with the opportunity to go 11 points clear of their rivals just 13 games into the season, I back Salah to convert consequential opportunities on the largest of stages. Liverpool's Egyptian King has scored five goals and assisted twice over his last five starts in all competitions. In 14 career appearances versus City, Salah has scored seven times and assisted four goals.
Result: Liverpool 2-1 Manchester City
UPCOMING EPL FIXTURES
Liverpool: Dec. 4 at Newcastle United
Manchester City: Dec. 4 vs. Nottingham Forest
