Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
The upcoming match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield not only marks the pinnacle of the 28th round of the English Premier League but also stands as a defining moment of the entire season. Will Jürgen Klopp's side capitalize on the home advantage and strengthen their position in the league table? Here's the match forecast from the experts at Dailysports.
Liverpool
The Reds are gradually coming to terms with the fact that Jürgen Klopp's era is drawing to a close. This sentiment was particularly palpable during the final of the League Cup against Chelsea, where a precise strike from Virgil van Dijk in the dying minutes of extra time secured victory for the Merseysiders. It's evident that the team is putting in the effort on the football field and giving their all in recent matches under the guidance of the great coach.
A trademark tool of Jürgen Klopp has always been the relentless pressing all over the pitch combined with swift attacks following explosive penetrating passes. This season, it's Liverpool who lead the Premier League in created chances and goals from open play. Additionally, Liverpool tends to press their opponents relentlessly, scoring more goals than any other team after the 75th minute.
This was evident in the recent away match against Nottingham Forest, where Nunez scored the winning goal in the 90+9th minute. The playoff match in the Europa League against Sparta was no exception. However, the fifth goal in the 90+5th minute didn't decide anything but merely confirmed Liverpool's superiority. Of course, it's worth mentioning that Liverpool's home fans will provide an additional advantage. In the current season, the Reds have not lost at Anfield, registering 19 victories in all competitions.
Manchester City
Last season, the Citizens won everything imaginable, but Pep Guardiola's team certainly isn't planning to stop. Currently, they trail Liverpool by just one point, while also leading Manchester United by a point. For City, this gap isn't a problem, as evidenced by seasons where they directly competed for the title with a rival.
This was the case in the 2018/2019 and 2021/2022 seasons, where City surpassed Liverpool at the crucial stages. Last season, however, they couldn't keep up with the leaders, Arsenal. The real strength of this team lies in their long winning streaks, especially towards the end of the season. And now, we might be witnessing the beginning of one. Winning the derby against Manchester United last weekend was particularly impressive.
However, if we look at the results of this season, matches against top opponents have been challenging for City. Against the current top six, City has two wins, two draws, and two losses. Interestingly, both wins were against Manchester United. Let's not forget that Pep Guardiola's team aims to win the Champions League for the second consecutive time. Last week, City moved closer to this goal by defeating Copenhagen 6-2 on aggregate.
Interesting Facts about the Match and Head-to-Head History
- In the first leg, Manchester City couldn't defeat Liverpool at their home ground, resulting in a 1-1 draw.
- The first leg match was the third consecutive one in which both teams scored.
- At Anfield, Pep Guardiola's team won only one match out of the last ten, losing seven times.
- In the last ten matches in all competitions, the "Total over 2.5" bet came through in seven cases.
English Premier League standings table
Liverpool vs Manchester City Prediction
Despite the match being held at Anfield, Manchester City is considered a slight favorite by bookmakers. The odds for Manchester City's victory stand at 2.35. It's worth noting that Liverpool approaches the match with serious personnel problems, with nine players sidelined, many of whom are key players. Additionally, City may benefit from an extra day of rest after the European competition. Nonetheless, Liverpool cannot afford to lose this match. Therefore, our bet is "Liverpool not to lose" with odds of 1.75.
