Man City vs Liverpool (9th November)
Manchester City welcome champions Liverpool to the Etihad on Sunday in a fixture that so often defines the direction of a Premier League season.
For years, these two sides have shared the stage as English football’s great modern rivalry, a meeting of styles as much as of players, with Pep Guardiola’s precision facing Arne Slot’s growing sense of control and aggression.
Both arrive chasing Arsenal, whose early form has them setting the pace. City eased past Bournemouth last weekend and will expect to assert themselves at home, especially with Erling Haaland in rhythm.
Liverpool found some fluency again against Aston Villa following the toughest period of Slot’s tenure, but knows a positive result here could do more than close the gap. It could reignite belief that they belong in this title race.
Can Anyone Catch Arsenal?
Arsenal’s win at Burnley opened up a gap that’s starting to look significant. Both City and Liverpool know that dropping points here could effectively end their title hopes before winter arrives. Arteta, after three consecutive second-place finishes, has built a side that simply doesn’t blink.
The bookies and punters alike have taken notice, tipping Arsenal as overwhelming favourites for the title, offering plenty of value amongst the latest free bet offers. These are the only two sides realistically capable of mounting a sustained challenge.
The Reds want to return to winning ways and a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa was a step in the right direction. It ended their worst domestic run in nearly four years and showed what they can still do when Mohamed Salah is sharp and the midfield has balance. Slot’s team is still taking shape, but there’s plenty of quality there and enough depth to make a serious challenge.
City’s win over Bournemouth was more straightforward. Haaland’s first-half brace, either side of Tyler Adams’ equaliser, set the tone before Nico O’Reilly added a third. It was the kind of performance that reminded everyone why City remain such formidable opponents. After a shaky few weeks, Guardiola’s team looked focused again.
Haaland’s first-half double was a reminder that when City find rhythm, few sides can live with them. Arsenal are leading, but they know neither of these two will fade quietly.
The hosts possess the experience of recent title wins and the ruthless efficiency that comes with Guardiola’s methods. Liverpool are the reigning champions, even if their form this season has been patchy.
A defeat for either side on Sunday would push the gap to Arsenal into double figures with a third of the season gone. That’s the kind of deficit neither manager wants to contemplate.
Has The Slot Machine Paid Out?
Liverpool’s record at the Etihad has rarely been kind, but last season’s trip brought a long-awaited win. Combined with a comfortable home win earlier in the season, it showed a Liverpool side capable of standing toe-to-toe with City again. Those two results handed them an eleven-point lead that proved insurmountable, the foundation of their 20th league title.
That said, the Reds have really suffered in recent weeks, and going back to basics could be key. Slot’s recent adjustments might hold the answers.
Against Villa, he simplified things, bringing Andy Robertson back at left-back and tightening the midfield. The shape looked steadier, and it helped goalscorers Salah and Ryan Gravenberch operate with more space.
Some of the newer signings are still settling in. Florian Wirtz has been used in a range of positions and hasn’t yet found rhythm or consistency. Slot may need to be more decisive with his selections if Liverpool are to keep control in midfield. Gravenberch’s ability to carry the ball could be crucial, especially if Liverpool try to counter City’s press rather than fight it.
City Need Consistency
Guardiola will be desperate to secure that first win over Slot in the Premier League. City were in transition last term, navigating defensive issues that have resurfaced this season. They’ve had bad runs before. What matters now is whether they’ve found solutions or whether Liverpool, despite their own struggles, can exploit similar weaknesses again.
Haaland’s form suggests City have at least solved their problems going forward. His 26 goals for club and country this season, 13 of them in just ten Premier League games, are genuinely extraordinary. Bookies around the country will consistently have the Norwegian to find the back of the net, and more often than not, he delivers.
The issue is at the other end. The goal conceded to Villa was soft. Bournemouth’s strike continued the pattern. Gianluigi Donnarumma, reliable as ever between the posts, will need to maintain the standards he showed against Liverpool in last season’s Champions League for Paris Saint-Germain, when he repeatedly frustrated Slot’s attackers.
Prediction
City’s defensive issues might make them generous hosts. Liverpool, even in their current form, have enough quality to hurt anyone. City, with Haaland leading the line, feel almost certain to score at home. The both teams to score market looks particularly appealing in that context.
This feels like a fixture that could go either way. City’s defensive vulnerabilities suggest goals, probably from both sides. Their superior form and home advantage make them narrow favourites. This won’t be comfortable, though. Expect quality, expect chances, and expect both managers to leave knowing that the margin for error in this title race has narrowed to almost nothing.
A tense, attacking encounter feels likely. City to edge it, not without Liverpool making them work for every yard. Both teams’ scoring seems a near-certainty. A City win by the odd goal remains the likeliest outcome.
Full Time: Manchester City 2-1 Liverpool