Will Liverpool V Manchester City Produce Another Premier League Classic On Sunday?

Whenever two of the biggest teams in the Premier League meet, especially two with genuine title aspirations, it is always a big game. On Sunday at Anfield, one such meeting takes place as the Premier League winners of the last two seasons, Liverpool and Manchester City clash.

The two have become fierce rivals over the last few seasons with City pipping Liverpool to the title in the 2018/19 season, before the Reds claimed the Premier League trophy for the first time a year later. Then last year, as Liverpool suffered with injuries at the heart of their defence, City romped to a third title win in four years.

During the last few years, there have been a number of memorable games between the two teams, both at Anfield and at the Etihad, and Sunday’s game could well be another one to be long remembered by football fans.

Of course, such a big game always attracts betting from all over the world. In the UK, bet365 Sports offers an excellent range of bets across the game (and remember, you can use up any Bet365 Credits you have remaining from your starter offer) while in the United States BetRivers Sportsbook offers a fantastic selection of pre-match and In Play bets.

Let’s first take a look at the full list of EPL games taking place this weekend.

Premier League – Matchday 7

Saturday 2^nd October

• Manchester United v Everton (12.30pm)
• Burnley v Norwich City
• Chelsea v Southampton
• Leeds United v Watford
• Wolverhampton Wanderers v Newcastle United
• Brighton v Arsenal (5.30pm)

Sunday 3^rd October

• Crystal Palace v Leicester City (2pm)
• Tottenham v Aston Villa (2pm)
• West Ham v Brentford (2pm)
• Liverpool v Manchester City (4.30pm)

Liverpool and Manchester City occupy the top two places in the Premier League table with the Reds one point ahead of Manchester City. Liverpool are unbeaten as yet this season, while City have lost twice already, one in the EPL and once in the Champions League.

City lead a group of five teams on 13 points in the table and they lie second on goal difference ahead of Chelsea, Manchester United, Everton and Brighton.

Last weekend, Liverpool were held to an entertaining 3-3 draw by newly promoted Brentford, while Manchester City produced a superb performance to defeat Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge thanks to Gabriel Jesus’ opener.

However, in the Champions League in midweek, City went down to a 2-0 defeat to Paris St Germain in France, while Liverpool cruised to a 5-1 victory over FC Porto in Portugal, with Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino scoring a brace and Sadio Mane adding another.

Let’s take a look back now at some classic Liverpool v Man City encounters from recent times, before we bring you our preview and tips for Sunday’s game.

Liverpool v Manchester City – Classic Matches

21^st November 2015 – Manchester City 1-4 Liverpool

Title chasers City were thumped by a rampant Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp’s side got the better if Manuel Pellegrini’s team. An own goal from Mangala put the Reds in front early on and then two crackers from Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino put the Reds 3-0 up after just over half an hour. Sergio Aguero pulled one back for City on the brink of half time, but a late Martin Skrtel goal in the last ten minutes saw Liverpool run out comfortable winners.

9^th September 2017 – Manchester City 5-0 Liverpool

City recorded their biggest win over Liverpool since 1937 at the Etihad in a game which saw the home side take the lead after 24 minutes through Sergio Aguero. Liverpool’s Sadio Mane was sent off on 37 minutes after a challenge on Ederson and City added a second goal just on half time through Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian made it three on 54 minutes before two Leroy Sane strikes added padding to the scoreline in what was a very one-sided game after the Reds were reduced to ten men.

14^th January 2018 – Liverpool 4-3 Manchester City

After their drubbing at the Etihad, Liverpool were emerging as one of Manchester City’s main rivals and they ended City’s unbeaten league run with a 4-3 win at Anfield. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain fired the Reds in front early only for Leroy Sane to equaliser just before half time. However a three-goal blitz in nine minutes in the second half from Firmino, Mane and Salah but Liverpool 4-1 up before City clawed back two late goals from Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan to make it 4-3.

4^th & 10^th April 2018 – Liverpool 3-0 Man City, Man City 1-2 Liverpool (Champs Lge Quarter Final)

Later on in the same season, Liverpool knocked Manchester City out of the Champions League on their way to the final. A first half goal blitz at Anfield put the Reds 3-0 up in the first leg with Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mane all on target. In the second leg, Gabriel Jesus scored very early to give City home, but second half strikes from Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino gave the Reds a 5-1 aggregate win.

7^th February 2021 – Liverpool 1-4 Manchester City

A goalless first half gave way to plenty of goals in the second as Manchester City put Liverpool to the sword at Anfield last season. Ilkay Gundogan scored the first of two goals early in the second half, but Liverpool levelled from the penalty spot with Mo Salah scoring the goal. However two crazy defensive mistakes handed City two goals in three minutes courtesy of Gundogan and Sterling and then Phil Foden wrapped up an emphatic win with a fourth as Liverpool’s makeshift central defensive pairing of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho struggled.

Liverpool V Man City – Preview & Tips

Predicted Liverpool XI – (4-3-3) – Alisson, Milner, Robertson, Van Dijk, Matip, Henderson, Fabinho, Jones, Mane, Firmino, Salah.

Predicted Manchester City XI – (4-3-3) – Ederson, Walker, Cancelo, Laporte, Dias, Rodri, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Grealish, Jesus

I can’t see either manager making too many changes for this game. Firmino, after his midweek cameo role as a sub, scoring twice against FC Porto, may get the nod over Jota given his importance and experience and I think City may go with Gabriel Jesus, who has a good scoring record here, rather than opting to play with a false nine.

In terms of how the match will go, City were superb against Chelsea but have looked fallible this season, whereas while Liverpool have looked a bit shaky defensively at times, notably against Milan and Brentford, they have been scoring plenty of goals at the other end too.

With home advantage and eager to banish the memories of last season’s awful loss to City at home, I am expecting a big performance from the home side here.

So I am backing Liverpool to win at 9/5 with bet365, with a correct score of 2-1 to Liverpool being an 11/1 shot. You can also get 21/10 on Sadio Mane being an anytime goalscorer against City.