Verdict: Each groups to attain
Finest odds: 11/4
Bookmaker: 888sport
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester Metropolis have the chance at hand former assistant Mikel Arteta a significant enhance within the Premier League title race once they host Arne Slot’s Liverpool in a large showdown on the Etihad on Sunday.
Regardless of a big 17-point hole between the 2 golf equipment within the league standings, the reigning champions have began to rediscover their finest type at house, at the least in home competitors, whereas the present leaders don’t look fairly nearly as good as they did in earlier phases of the marketing campaign.
Manchester Metropolis
The dream of securing a fifth consecutive title could also be all however over, barring essentially the most outstanding Premier League comeback the nation has ever seen. Nonetheless, Man Metropolis can nonetheless intention to derail Liverpool’s cost whereas concurrently strengthening their bid for a routine Champions League qualification.
With Actual Madrid rising victorious of their newest chapter of a long-standing rivalry—successful 6-3 on mixture of their knockout spherical playoff – Metropolis’s solely remaining path to Europe’s elite competitors is thru a top-four Premier League end. The dazzling Kylian Mbappe stole the present with a hat-trick within the second leg.
An early Champions League exit means Metropolis are actually solely competing within the Premier League and FA Cup for the rest of the season, together with this summer season’s revamped Membership World Cup. Even so, Guardiola’s facet has rediscovered its acquainted type within the home marketing campaign.
Whereas Mbappe claimed the match ball in midweek, Omar Marmoush earned one for himself final weekend with a hat-trick in Metropolis’s emphatic 4-0 rout of top-four hopefuls Newcastle United – serving to the staff preserve their grip on fourth place heading into gameweek 26.
The Residents have now received their final three house Premier League video games, netting at the least three targets in every outing. Furthermore, no staff within the division boasts a greater conversion fee in 2025 than their 24.7%, a big rise from the meager 9.6% recorded between August and December.
Staff Information
Metropolis followers held their breath when talisman Erling Haaland jarred his knee within the closing moments of the victory over Newcastle. After being restricted to a spectator function on the Bernabeu, Guardiola couldn’t present any assurances on his availability for the weekend.
One participant sure to overlook out is John Stones, who could require surgical procedure for the quadriceps damage he suffered simply eight minutes into the midweek defeat to Actual Madrid. In the meantime, Manuel Akanji (thigh), Oscar Bobb (calf), and Rodri (ACL) stay sidelined.
No matter whether or not Haaland is handed match, hat-trick hero Marmoush shall be desirous to make his mark in assault, and Ederson has the possibility to turn out to be the primary goalkeeper in Premier League historical past to report an help in three consecutive matches.
Liverpool
It might be a hushed statement, however the champions might need caught their challengers on the ultimate second, as indicators of vulnerability have began to emerge for an in any other case relentless Liverpool facet, judging by their final 4 outings.
The Reds’ 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers was removed from convincing, and a midweek go to to Aston Villa—the place Slot’s males had the chance to determine a 10-point lead over Arsenal – resulted in a 2-2 draw, a degree salvaged by a deflected Trent Alexander-Arnold equalizer.
Ought to Arsenal dispatch London rivals West Ham United as anticipated, the Gunners shall be simply 5 factors adrift of Liverpool with the identical variety of matches performed earlier than Slot’s facet faces Man Metropolis. They head to the Etihad with only one win from their final 4 fixtures throughout all competitions.
The league leaders have additionally managed solely two wins of their final eight away matches in all competitions and are winless of their final three. Nonetheless, that report doesn’t paint the total image, as Slot’s males stay unbeaten on the highway within the 2024/25 Premier League season and have discovered the online in all 14 away video games thus far.
Liverpool additionally had little hassle dispatching Man Metropolis in a routine 2-0 house triumph earlier this season, a recreation remembered for Guardiola’s six-finger gesture. That very same quantity additionally represents what number of instances Liverpool have accomplished the league double over the defending champions, most lately reaching the feat towards Chelsea in 2010/11. It’s additionally the variety of instances Liverpool have been topped champions of Europe.
Staff Information
Having missed Liverpool’s final two Premier League video games with a knock, Cody Gakpo stays a significant doubt for the journey to Man Metropolis, whereas Joe Gomez (thigh) and Tyler Morton (shoulder) are additionally dominated out.
Slot is “99.9%” sure that Conor Bradley shall be unavailable as effectively after seemingly tweaking his hamstring within the draw with Villa. Nonetheless, the guests are in any other case in fine condition for this high-stakes conflict, the place Mohamed Salah goals to carve out yet one more piece of historical past.
The dynamic Egyptian has been immediately concerned in 13 Premier League targets towards Man Metropolis—scoring eight and helping 5—trailing solely Steven Gerrard (14) for essentially the most purpose contributions towards the Residents within the competitors. He’ll clearly be geared as much as attempt to equal the Reds’ icon, possibly even break it.
Conclusion
Be it fatigue, strain, or a mixture of each, Slot’s males have barely misplaced their rhythm in current weeks, and with Man Metropolis rediscovering their scoring contact at house, they’re well-positioned to capitalize to some extent.
Haaland’s health could possibly be a decisive consider whether or not the champions can take one thing from Sunday’s high-profile showdown, however the Norwegian by no means had it straightforward towards Virgil van Dijk, and he isn’t more likely to have it this time both.
Be that as it could, Man Metropolis might snatch a worthy level on this recreation and power Liverpool to look nervously over their shoulder on the prime of the desk.
Verdict: Each groups to attain
Finest odds: 11/4
Bookmaker: 888sport
