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This Sunday, the Etihad Stadium will host one of the Premier League's most anticipated matchups – Manchester City vs Liverpool. The stakes are high, with both teams dealing with their own challenges and the title race intensifying.
Manchester City's struggles and injuries
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City heads into this game after a disappointing exit from the UEFA Champions League. On Wednesday, they were knocked out by Real Madrid in the knockout phase, with Kylian Mbappé leading the charge for the Spanish side. To make matters worse, City has been hit with a series of injuries.
Erling Haaland, who was sidelined during the Real Madrid game, remains a doubt for this clash due to a knee issue. Kevin De Bruyne is also struggling with fitness, leaving Guardiola with a tough decision to make on his starting lineup.
Despite these setbacks, City has been in good form in the Premier League, winning three of their last four matches. A victory against Liverpool could see them come into third place, reigniting their push for the title.
Liverpool's decline in form
Liverpool, under manager Arne Slot, also finds themselves in a precarious position. A 2-2 draw against Aston Villa in midweek saw them drop more points in the race for the Premier League title. The result highlighted growing concerns within the squad, with Slot admitting he was “not happy” with the outcome. With Arsenal threatening to close the gap to just five points, a loss for Liverpool could see them fall further behind, having played one more game than their title rivals.
Despite Mohamed Salah continuing to shine, Liverpool’s inconsistency is becoming more apparent, and the title race is now looking tighter than expected.
How to Watch Manchester City vs Liverpool
Kickoff time: 11:30 AM ET, Saturday, February 23
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Premier League on Peacock
Manchester City team news
City’s injury woes continue to mount. John Stones is sidelined with a thigh injury, while Rodri remains out with a torn ACL. Manuel Akanji is also absent due to a muscular injury. Haaland's fitness is a major concern, and although Guardiola doesn’t believe it’s a serious issue, his absence from the Real Madrid game casts doubt on his availability for Sunday’s clash. Should Haaland miss out, Marmoush is likely to lead the attack, supported by Phil Foden and others.
Defensively, Guardiola will need to rely on Josko Gvardiol, who will face a tough challenge from Salah on Liverpool's counter-attacks.
OUT: John Stones (thigh), Rodri (torn ACL), Manuel Akanji (muscular)
QUESTIONABLE: Erling Haaland (knee), Oscar Bobb (fitness)
Liverpool team news
Liverpool has fewer injury concerns, but manager Arne Slot still faces challenges in attack. While Salah remains a guaranteed starter, the rest of the attacking line is uncertain. Cody Gakpo is a doubt due to a knock, and players like Diogo Jota, Luis Díaz, and Darwin Nunez are struggling with form. Defensively, Liverpool has shown vulnerabilities, particularly on counter-attacks, having conceded two goals in each of their last two away matches.
OUT: Joe Gomez (thigh), Conor Bradley (unknown)
QUESTIONABLE: Cody Gakpo (knock)
This game is expected to be a tight, tense affair, with neither team able to control the match as they usually would. Both sides are dealing with fatigue from midweek fixtures, and while Manchester City is not at full strength, they may have the slight edge, especially at home. Expect a close contest, with City emerging 2-1 victors.
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