Premier League returns this weekend with the biggest clash of the weekend, featuring Manchester City and Liverpool. Both teams will renew their rivalry this Saturday at the Etihad for the 29th Round game of the 2022/23 Premier League season.
Unlike in recent seasons, where games between the pair were title deciders, this weekend’s fixture features two teams on the opposite side of the form table. While Manchester City are flying courtesy of a run of six consecutive wins and ten games without defeat (W8, D2), Liverpool are winless and scoreless in two games (L2).
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Pep Guardiola’s men kept their quest for their seventh Premier League crown alive just before the break with a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace in their last league outing. The win over the Eagles was followed by two massive Champions League and FA Cup wins, which came by a combined 13-0 scoreline.
One individual, Erling Haaland, scored eight out of those 13 goals. However, the Norwegian is unlikely to feature in this game, giving Liverpool a significant boost. But having fallen eight points behind Arsenal in the title race, City need little reminding that this game is a must-win if they want to keep their quest for the title alive.
Meanwhile, not only does the likley absence of Haaland help Liverpool, the return of attacker Luis Diaz after five months of injury will also be a morale boost for Jurgen Klopp’s side, who will be desperate to get back to winning ways and rekindling their fading top-four hopes.
The Reds went into the international break in a dour mood, losing their last two games against relegation-threatened Bournemouth and Real Madrid before the hiatus.
With nothing left to play for than the top-four this season, Klopp will hope that his boys will give their very best in this game against a team they have beaten just once in their last 13 PL matches at the Etihad (D5, L7).
Meanwhile, Man City’s run of eight consecutive wins at home ahead of this game puts them as clear favourites for a win here.
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