GOAL previews the Premier League fixture between Manchester City and Liverpool, with team news, predictions, head to head record, key players.
Liverpool will travel to the Etihad Stadium to take on Manchester Cityin a blockbusterPremier Leagueclash on Saturday.
The defending champions find themselves eight points behind league leaders Arsenal, with a match in hand, and cannot afford to slip up further to keep their title ambitions alive.
The two teams last met each other in the Carabao Cup where Pep Guardiola's troops earned a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Reds, courtesy of goals from Erling Haaland, Riyad Mahrez and Nathan Ake.
On the other hand, Liverpool find themselves in the sixth spot with 42 points from 26 matches. However, they have the opportunity to do the league double over the Sky Blues as they won the reverse fixture at Anfield after a 76th-minute goal by Mohamed Salah.
A win would cut down the deficit with fifth-placed Newcastle United to three points and if the Magpies falter to Manchester United a day later, then a European berth could well be within reach for Jurgen Klopp's men.
GOAL previews the Premier League fixture between Manchester City and Liverpool, with team news, predictions, head-to-head record, key battles and much more below.
GettyTeam analysisManchester City team news
Manchester City Starting XI
Ederson; Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte; Rodri, Rico Lewis; Riyad Mahrez, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Jack Grealish; Erling Haaland.
Recent form
Manchester City head into this fixture on the back of a 6-0 win over Burnley in the FA Cup quarter-finals to progress into the last four of the prestigious cup competition. Haaland bagged a hat-trick, Julian Alvarez scored a brace, whereas Cole Palmer chipped in with another goal to complete the rout. Before that match, they scored seven past RB Leipzig in the Champions League courtesy of a five-star performance from the Norwegian striker.
Key players
All eyes will be on Haaland as the striker was in scorching form before club football came to a halt for the international break. The 22-year-old has scored 28 goals in 26 Premier League appearances and is gunning to break the all-time record for most goals (34) in a Premier League season which is currently jointly held by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer.
Injuries & suspensions
Phil Foden has undergone surgery in London for acute appendicitis and will not be fit for this weekend’s Premier League fixture against Liverpool.
Haaland did not join his national teammates during the international break due to an adductor problem but is expected to be fit for the clash.
Tactical approach
Manchester City will go for the win right from the first whistle. They are chasing Arsenal at the top and will give their all to get an early opener to release the pressure. Guardiola's teams like to dominate possession, and it should be no different against Liverpool.
Goalkeepers:Ederson Moraes, Stefan Ortega, Scott Carson. Defenders:Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, John Stones, Aymeric Laporte, Manuel Akanji, Sergio Gomez, Kyle Walker, Rico Lewis. Midfielders:Rodri, Kalvin Phillips, Maximo Perrone, Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Cole Palmer. Forwards:Jack Grealish, Riyad Mahrez, Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez. Liverpool team news
Liverpool Starting XI
Alisson Becker; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Andrew Robertson; Cody Gakpo, Fabinho, James Milner; Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez.
Recent form
After dishing out a 7-0 thrashing to Manchester United at Anfield they have lost two successive matches to Bournemouth and Real Madrid in the Premier League and the Champions League, respectively, which is a testimony to the inconsistent form that has plagued them throughout the season.
Key players
Salah will be the one to watch out for the Reds. The Egyptian has 18 goal contributions in 26 matches for Liverpool in the Premier League and will once again spearhead the attack from the right.
Injuries & suspensions
Liverpool have several players on the nursing table, including Calvin Ramsay, Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic, and Konstantinos Tsimikas.
However, the likes of Darwin Nunez, Joe Gomez and Luis Diaz are likely to make a return to the matchday squad.
Tactical approach
Liverpool are likely to press high with their three forwards putting pressure on the Man City defenders who will be looking to play out from the back. They will be expected to keep things tight at the back and then pounce on the counter with the Salah and Gakpo turning on their after-burners.
Goalkeepers:Alisson Becker, Caoimhin Kelleher, Adrian. Defenders:Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, Nathaniel Phillips, Rhys Williams, Andrew Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold. Midfielders:Fabinho, Naby Keita, Curtis Jones, Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner, Harvey Elliot, Fabio Carvalho. Forwards:Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Roberto Firmino. Head-to-head record
April 10, 2022Manchester City 2-2 LiverpoolPremier LeagueApril 16, 2022Manchester City 2-3 LiverpoolFA CupJuly 30, 2021Liverpool 3-1 Manchester CityFA Community ShieldOctober 16, 2022Liverpool 1-0 Manchester CityPremier LeagueDecember 22, 2022Manchester City 3-2 LiverpoolLeague Cup
The spoils have been evenly shared in their last five meetings with Manchester City and Liverpool winning twice each along with one draw.
However, Manchester City have lost just one of their last 13 Premier League home games against Liverpool (W7 D5), going down 4-1 in November 2015 under Manuel Pellegrini.
Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesManchester City vs Liverpool match previewVenue, date & kick-off time
The Premier League fixture between Manchester City & Liverpool will be played at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, April 1. The game is scheduled to kick off at 8.30am EDT.
Match predictions & expected outcome
Both Manchester City and Liverpool are desperate to win but for entirely different reasons. While City are gunning for the top spot in the Premier League table, Liverpool are fighting for a European berth. There is little doubt it would be a highly contested affair but Pep Guardiola's troops should edge out the Merseyside outfit given their home record and current form. Moreover, Liverpool have struggled on the road this season, having taken just 12 points from their 13 Premier League away games.
Key battles to watch out for
It will be an intriguing battle between Haaland and Van Dijk. The defender came out on top in the reverse fixture at Anfield and the fate of the match might hinge on this extremely important duel between the two. Haaland had been suffering from an abductor problem and he was resting during the international break while the Dutch defender was busy with his international commitments. Moreover, the striker is coming into this fixture having scored eight goals in the last two matches. Can Van Dijk contain the explosive forward once again? We say, bring it on!
Potential game changers
If Haaland happens to be City's most potent weapon, then Liverpool have Salah who can change the complexion of any game singlehandedly. The Egyptian has scored in all three of Liverpool's games against Man City this season, in the Premier League, Community Shield and EFL Cup and could well be the difference-maker on Saturday.
Getty ImagesOur final thoughts on the matchLiverpool are looking to complete the league double over Manchester City for what would be just the second time in the last 17 seasons, previously doing so in Klopp's debut campaign in 2015-16. A solid performance at the back and a few moments of individual brilliance can definitely tilt the tie in their favour.Haaland has scored 42 goals in all competitions for Manchester City this season, including six hat-tricks (all at the Etihad). Only two players have scored more in a single campaign for a Premier League club (since 1992-93) – Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2002-03 and Mohamed Salah in 2017-18 (both 44) and another hat-trick on Saturday can help the Norwegian set a new league record.Irrespective of the winner, the fans should be treated to a high-octane football match as club football resumes after a brief halt due to the international break.Getty ImagesUseful links
Liverpool team home page
Manchester City team home page
Live soccer on TV in the U.S.
Where to watch Premier League: Broadcasters & TV channels
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