On Sunday afternoon, Manchester City and Liverpool face off in a potentially title-deciding clash at the Etihad Stadium. The magnitude of this game cannot be overstated.
With eight games remaining this season, first-place Man City find themselves one point ahead of second-place Liverpool in the Premier League table.
The countdown continues ⏰...#ManCity pic.twitter.com/jEAIqHYcNa— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 8, 2022
The countdown continues ⏰...#ManCity pic.twitter.com/jEAIqHYcNa
Given that third-place Chelsea sit 13 points shy of the frontrunners, the battle for the title is well and truly a two-horse race.
Let’s start by looking at the hosts, Man City, who head into Sunday’s showdown on the back of a 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Pep Guardiola’s men racked up 71% possession and 15 attempts. Meanwhile, Atletico failed to register a single shot.
In the Premier League, Man City have lost just three of their 30 games this season – recording 23 wins and four draws along the way.
The Cityzens boast the best defensive record in the Premier League, having conceded a measly 18 goals this term.
Not only have Man City avoided defeat in each of their last eight outings across all competitions, but they have also lost just one of their previous 22.
As for Liverpool, they put one foot in the Champions League semi-finals with a 3-1 win against Benfica on Tuesday.
That means Jurgen Klopp’s side head into Sunday’s clash on a five-game winning streak across all competitions.
When you look at the bigger picture, the Reds have won 17 of their previous 18 matches in all competitions.
With 77 goals to their name, Liverpool are the top scorers in the Premier League. They have also suffered the fewest defeats (2), picking up 22 wins and six draws.
Head-to-head: In the reverse fixture back in October, Man City and Liverpool played out a 2-2 draw at Anfield.
The Reds have managed to win just one of their past eight meetings with the Cityzens across all competitions, recording three draws and four losses in the process.
Team news: Man City will be without the injured duo of Ruben Dias and Cole Palmer for the visit of Liverpool.
On the flip side, Liverpool have a fully fit squad. That means Klopp will have to make some big selection decisions.
This is destined to be a close-fought battle between the top two teams in the country. For that reason, we should see plenty of action at both ends of the pitch.
Forebet predicts that Man City and Liverpool will dish up over 4.5 goals between them. However, Klopp’s men are expected to come out on top.