Soccer fans will need to have a bowl of popcorn ready to hand on Sunday when Liverpool and Manchester City collide at Anfield.
Two giants collide
After four seasons of slugging it out for the title, these two EPL heavyweights were expected to leave the rest of the league trailing in their wake once again. But things haven’t transpired that way. While City are undefeated and have elevated themselves to new heights, Liverpool’s demise has been alarming, and they are 14 points off the pace going into this crunch clash.
Key points ahead of the game
And there are a few interesting stats to bear in mind ahead of the latest EPL meeting:
- The past three clashes between these two sides have produced Over 3.5 goals.
- With just 10 points from their first eight games, this is Liverpool’s worst return at this stage of a Premier League campaign since 2012/13 (nine points).
- City have only lost just one of their past six EPL encounters with Liverpool.
- Mohamed Salah has netted in four of his five EPL home games against Manchester City, including in each of his last three in a row. Only Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has scored in four consecutive home appearances against the Citizens in the competition.
Although these two teams are heading in different directions, there will be a groundswell of support from the top US online betting sites which will be offering a raft of match lines. To whet your appetite, we have rummaged through the markets and picked out a few tips for you to sink your teeth into.
Manchester City to come out on top in thriller
It wouldn’t be an overstatement to suggest that City have been rampant this term, plundering home 33 goals in the EPL, and they have netted three or more in each of their past three outings. Pep Guardiola boasts so many attacking weapons and they can slice teams apart with their intricate play.
While Liverpool haven’t struggled scoring, their defensive issues have been laid bare, and they have often given themselves a mountain to climb in games. The 3-3 draw at home to Brighton earlier this month pays testament to that. Of course, the Champions League has been a welcome distraction, and they recorded an emphatic 7-1 victory over Rangers in midweek, with Mohamed Salah coming off the bench to net the quickest hat-trick in the competition’s history.
However, the Reds’ injury crisis has deepened with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz joining Joel Matip, Arthur, and Naby Keita on the treatment table.
City will look to get in Liverpool’s faces from the first whistle, but this has the ingredients to be an entertaining encounter. If you are looking to shake things up, BetMGM is offering odds of +180 for City to win and Both Teams to Score, which is worth jumping on.
Erling Haaland to pop up with timely intervention
If there’s one thing that has been constant about City, it is that Erling Haaland invariably finds the target, and he has an insatiable appetite for netting big goals. Indeed, Haaland has been in monstrous form, smashing home 15 goals in the EPL, and there could well be a few records that tumble this term.
The Norwegian hitman was rested in midweek after City secured their passage to the last 16 of the Champions League with a goalless draw against FC Copenhagen, but he does need a breather from time to time!
Anyway, you wonder how Liverpool will contain Haaland, such is his movement and clinical nature. If you are intrigued by the goalscorer markets, then you can source a rather short price of -165 with BetMGM for Haaland to score anytime which seems fair by all accounts.
Kevin De Bruyne to notch up another assist
For the breathtaking brilliance of Haaland, City are usually indebted to the imperious performances of Kevin De Bruyne, and he is the EPL’s undisputed assist king. This season, he has already notched up nine assists and he’s now up to fifth in the all-time list of EPL assist makers (95). With Ryan Giggs topping that particular stat (162), De Bruyne will fancy his chances of hunting down and eventually eclipsing the Manchester United legend.
De Bruyne is always inch perfect with his deliveries and his vision is nothing short of exceptional. He has struck up a good partnership with Haaland, and you imagine the mercurial Belgian will be involved in some shape or form against Liverpool.
If you like a player prop, then you can find a tempting price of +150 with FanDuel for De Bruyne to provide an assist anytime.
