Who: Manchester Metropolis vs Liverpool
What: English Premier League
The place: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
When: Sunday at 4:30pm (16:30 GMT)
The right way to observe: We’ll have all of the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 13:30 GMT upfront of our dwell textual content commentary stream.
Video games between Manchester Metropolis and Liverpool have typically been thought to be key battles in Premier League title races in latest seasons, however Sunday’s encounter might merely level to which of the 2 golf equipment is greatest outfitted to attempt to chase league leaders Arsenal.
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By the point the weekend’s massive sport kicks off on the Etihad Stadium, Arsenal – who go to surprise-package Sunderland on Saturday – could possibly be 10 factors away from champions Liverpool and 9 forward of Pep Guardiola’s Metropolis.
That state of affairs would enhance the strain on Metropolis and Liverpool, who head into the final spherical of fixtures earlier than one other worldwide stoppage second and third respectively.
There are indicators that each golf equipment are discovering kind. Metropolis have misplaced solely as soon as of their final 13 video games in all competitions and on Wednesday pummelled Borussia Dortmund 4-1 within the Champions League with Erling Haaland scoring his 18th membership aim this season and a rejuvenated Phil Foden bagging a brace.
Liverpool have additionally emerged from a run of six defeats in seven matches in all competitions to beat Aston Villa and Actual Madrid of their final two video games.
Guardiola ‘determined to play towards Liverpool’
Metropolis misplaced dwelling and away to the Reds final season as they had been dethroned as champions, and Metropolis boss Pep Guardiola admitted he was stunned at Liverpool’s stumbles this season.
“In fact, however typically it’s about momentum,” Guardiola said. “All of the golf equipment are there besides Arsenal, who’re extra constant than anybody.
“However the season is lengthy, so we attempt to be there and see what occurs. To be hones,t I’m so excited and blissful to arrange for Sunday. I’m determined to play towards Liverpool.”
Foden is ‘again’ warns Metropolis’s boss
The Metropolis and England ahead lit up the win over Dortmund, scoring twice to register his first European objectives this season and double his tally in all competitions.
Metropolis’s star academy graduate struggled for a lot of final season, opening up about off-field points and accidents that affected him, however the indicators are that the 25-year-old is again to his greatest, having been the stand-out participant in Metropolis’s Premier League-winning 2023/24 marketing campaign.
“Phil is again,” Guardiola stated. “What number of instances have we seen Phil rating these sort of objectives? We miss this so much final season however this season I believe he’s going to assist us so much.”
Guardiola added, “He’s a particular participant [and] we want his objectives and hopefully right this moment was step one to do it. It’s essential to have him for the large, massive match on Sunday [against Liverpool].”
Van Dijk says Liverpool should construct from the again
Previous to a 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday, Liverpool had gone 10 matches and not using a clear sheet.
“It’s straightforward to say now as a result of we gained twice in a row. In a world of chaos it’s a must to keep calm and see perspective of issues,” captain Virgil van Dijk stated. “Everyone knows how soccer works – it will probably change in a single day.”
Liverpool face one other enormous check of their title defence on Sunday when Van Dijk faces Haaland, who has struck 26 instances this season for membership and nation.
“You possibly can see in the mean time Arsenal are flying, and it’s down to wash sheets and never conceding probabilities,” added Van Dijk.
“We’ve got the standard to harm anybody on the break – it begins with the defending. At present, you noticed the arduous work.
“We’ve got to maintain going. Sunday goes to be one other tough one.”
Slot trying ahead to ‘Clasico’ towards Metropolis
Liverpool boss Arne Slot stated he was not stunned by his crew’s return to kind to win their final two video games, however warned that enjoying at Manchester Metropolis would pose a much more tough problem.
“Our foremost focus is on consistency in the mean time, as you realize we’ve misplaced a couple of video games, far more than we normally do … We had been constant however we had been constantly shedding. That wasn’t the concept,” a laughing Slot advised reporters forward of Sunday’s conflict.
“It wasn’t a shock for me how the final two video games went. It was useful that the opposite crew did what we anticipated them to do,” he added.
Slot stated Guardiola’s Metropolis had been his speedy focus reasonably than the league desk.
“Just like the ‘Clasico,’ these are the few video games everyone seems to be trying ahead to,” he stated.
“What I like about Pep Guardiola’s groups is that 10 out of 10 instances you get what you’re hoping for – an incredible sport of soccer, no time losing or these sorts of issues that I begin to dislike increasingly more about soccer,” Slot stated.
Head-to-head
Liverpool boast by far the higher win ratio from the 2 golf equipment’ 218 encounters, with the Reds successful 110 matches, Metropolis successful 60, and 58 ending as attracts.
The Reds’ league double over Metropolis final yr included a 2-0 win on the Etihad in February, courtesy of objectives from Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai, that despatched the eventual champions 11 points clear of Metropolis.
Metropolis’s final win over the Reds was a 4-1 thrashing on the Etihad in April 2023, on a tense day that included an obvious assault by Liverpool followers on the Metropolis crew bus and Guardiola being accused of disrespectfully celebrating instantly in entrance of Liverpool substitutes.
Metropolis’s crew information
Guardiola appears to have the luxurious of a fully-fit squad to select from, with talismanic midfielder Rodri set to return into the crew after recovering from harm to probably kind a double-pivot with Nico Gonzalez.
Whereas left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri has recovered from harm, Nico O’Reilly has excelled in his absence and could be the one tasked with attempting to shackle Salah.
Metropolis’s predicted beginning lineup
Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Rodri, Gonzalez; Cherki, Foden, Doku; Haaland
Liverpool’s crew information
The Reds’ first alternative keeper Alisson Becker stays injured, however Liverpool have the spectacular Giorgi Mamardashvili to depend on between the sticks as an alternative.
Slot confirmed that document signing Alexander Isak could also be match sufficient to make the squad following a groin downside however he might not be risked, whereas Curtis Jones is again in coaching after additionally struggling a groin harm.
Conor Bradley put in a sensational defensive show towards Actual Madrid in midweek and can certainly retain his spot at right-back with Jeremie Frimpong dominated out for an additional six weeks, whereas Andy Robertson additionally impressed at left-back and should begin once more as new signing Milos Kerkez continues to regulate to life at Liverpool.
Liverpool’s predicted beginning lineup
Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike
