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Manchester City host Liverpool on Sunday afternoon in the standout Premier League fixture this round.
It’s not easy being Pep Guardiola at the moment. The Spanish manager is taking a lot of heat after being knocked out of the Champions League by Monaco and one thing he doesn’t need is another failure just couple of days after.
Given the fact that Manchester City have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last 12 games in all competitions against Liverpool it is clear as day that City’s trio up front will have to be at their best on Sunday. Leroy Sane is in an excellent goal-scoring form lately, but fans expect more from clubs biggest star – Sergio Aguero who’s form varies throughout the season and he’s not as deadly in front of the goal as he was in the last couple of seasons.
On the other side, Liverpool continued their impressive form against against the “Big Six of the Premier League” with a win over Arsenal two rounds ago. The Reds are now unbeaten in their nine Premier League matches against the rest of the top six this season and would top a mini-league between the division’s elite clubs if such a thing existed.
However, the reason Klopp’s men are only fourth in the Premier League table is their terrible record against not so glamurous opposition as they’ve been losing games against Hull City, Swansea City, Bournemouth or Burnley and that’s clear sign that Jurgen Klopp failed to pass on his winning mentality on his players like Antonio Conte managed to do with his Chelsea.
Even though they both will point out that the game is all about the players and not them, the fact is that they are two exceptional managers, each developed his own style and has won everything he could with ex clubs, but haven’t had much of success so far in the Premier League.
What’s interesting is that Jurgen Klopp is the only active manager who has a better head to head score than Pep Guardiola.
Head to Head
Liverpool have won four consecutive league games against Man City for the first time since 1981.
Team News Ilkay Gundogan and Gabriel Jesus are still the only absentees for the Citizens.
Team News
Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge are still sidelined, but Roberto Firmino and Dejan Lovren are back. The Croatian international played for the under-23 side on Monday and is fit to make his first senior appearance since January, while Firmino missed only last weekend’s win against Burnley and will surely start the game.
Predicted Lineups
Manchester City: Caballero; Clichy, Stones, Otamendi, Zabaleta; Fernandinho; Sterling, De Bruyne, Silva, Sane; Aguero.
Liverpool: Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Matip, Milner; Wijnaldum, Can, Lallana; Mane, Firmino, Coutinho.