Liverpool and the Knockout Blow to Manchester City
The anticipated revenge and the knockout blow are Liverpool’s goals against Manchester City, who, in the eyes of many, will bid farewell to the title race if they lose Sunday’s showdown.
This prospect has become more realistic than ever, following a series of poor results locally and in Europe for City, who squandered a 3-0 lead against Dutch side Feyenoord in the fifth round of the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, ending in a 3-3 draw at home after five consecutive defeats across all competitions.
For the first time in his 942-match managerial career, Spanish coach Pep Guardiola witnessed his City side fail to win a match after leading by three goals. City now trails Premier League leaders Liverpool by eight points after suffering three consecutive league defeats.
On the other hand, under the leadership of new Dutch coach Arne Slot, Liverpool has been performing brilliantly. Their only league loss so far this season came against Nottingham Forest, 0-1 at Anfield. Since that match, Liverpool has won seven of their last eight league games (drawing only once) and has scored at least two goals in seven of those games.
Guardiola admitted earlier that defending the title would be challenging if they lost at Anfield, following a 4-0 defeat to Tottenham last week.
German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan echoed his manager’s concerns, stating, “It’s a game Manchester City cannot lose because an 11-point gap would be massive.” He added, “Anfield is always tough, regardless of the circumstances. We’ve struggled there in recent years, and we know Liverpool is an excellent team brimming with confidence right now.”
Here are some key indicators to help you predict the outcome and win with “Betway”:
● Liverpool has won only once in their last nine league matches against Manchester City (drawing five and losing three), a 1-0 home win in October 2022.
● Manchester City has only won once in their last 21 league visits to Liverpool (drawing seven and losing 13), a 4-1 victory in February 2021. Notably, City has not won at Anfield with fans present since May 2003 (2-1).
● The away team has won only six of the 54 league matches between Liverpool and Manchester City, the lowest win percentage (11%) for any fixture played more than 30 times in the competition.
● Manchester City has won five of their last six league matches against teams starting the day top of the table (drawing once). However, their most recent loss in such circumstances was a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield in November 2019, after which Liverpool won the title.
● Manchester City has lost their last three league matches, the same number of defeats they suffered in their previous 47 matches (35 wins, nine draws). The last time they lost four consecutive league games was between April and August 2008, and the last time it happened in the same season was between January and March 2007 (five consecutive defeats).
● Liverpool’s Egyptian star Mohamed Salah is the league’s top contributor to goals this season with 16 goal involvements, earning his team 17 points, the highest in the league.
Liverpool and Manchester City face a crucial match on Sunday, with City’s title hopes at risk. If they lose, they could fall 11 points behind Liverpool, who has been in strong form. For fans in the Lebanon, Betway is the best online betting site, offering great odds and a smooth experience.
