Liverpool v Manchester City: Preview, Injury News & Key Players

Liverpool will look to make it two wins in a row when they face current league leaders Manchester City at Anfield. It will be a meeting of the two best defensive sides in the league with both sides joint leaders for the least goals conceded so far.

Manchester City have an advantage though, as they’ve not just been the joint best defense, but also boast the best attack. Mancini’s men have scored an amazing 42 goals in 12 Premier League games, while Liverpool’s well documented wastefulness in front of goal has seen them score just 16.

But history is on Liverpool’s side, as Manchester City haven’t won at Anfield since 2003. It will be interesting to see whether Kenny Dalglish opts to stick with the same lineup that served him so well against Chelsea, or whether the more regular faces from this season return to the starting line-up.

Jamie Carragher should be fit for the match, but with Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel only conceding one goal in three matches he’s no longer a shoe-in for the starting eleven.

With Mancini able to choose a strike force from Aguero, Ballotelli, Silva and Dzeko, Liverpool’s defense will need to be strong, fast and smart to keep a clean sheet. With Carragher’s legs not as quick as they used to be, and him not likely to be as sharp after a few weeks out, it would make sense if he started on the bench. Steven Gerrard is still recovering from an ankle infection so the central midfield of Adam and Lucas is almost a certainty.

The biggest question is whether Dalglish opts for the same front four of Maxi, Suarez, Bellamy and Kuyt, or whether the likes of Downing, Henderson and Carroll will get a recall.

City have no injury concerns and are hurting after a 2-1 loss to Napoli in the Champions league midweek which means it will be difficult for them to qualify. All of this means, of course, that Liverpool will face a very, very tough test.

Silva, Nasri, Toure, Aguero, Dzeko and Ballotelli are all players that could win a game by themselves so Liverpool will have to be at their very best to get something from this one.

David Silva v Luis Suarez

The key matchup for me will be how well Liverpool contain David Silva and whether or not Luis Suarez can put on another majestic display. The Spaniard has scored four times, provided six assists and created 28 chances. If Liverpool can stop him, they at least stand a chance of stopping this City juggernaut, but with their personel, the Reds will need to be excellent in all areas.

Luis Suarez has been Liverpool’s best player since his arrival in January, and this season has had the most shots of any player in the league (46), literally creating chances from nothing on a regular basis. He has however, been a symbol of Liverpool’s wastefulness, only scoring 4 goals from all those chances.

He wasn’t at his best at Chelsea last week and Liverpool still managed to win thanks to Maxi and Glen Johnson. Chelsea, however, are at their weakest point in a few seasons and Suarez will have to be at his best (as will his teammates) if the Reds are to continue their unbeaten run to 10 games in all competitions, and hopefully, nab a win from a seemingly unstoppable City.