Manchester City could face a make-or-break day in their bid to reel in Arsenal at the summit of the Premier League as they take on Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday. Liverpool are guilty of conceding first in 12 of their 24 games this season. Last weekend, it was Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon who put the ball past Alisson to give his side the lead. Much of this stems from Liverpool’s struggling defence, but further forward Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz have combined excellently, with Arne Slot getting the best out of both players. The Kop has embraced the duo, and they are clearly lifted by the crowd’s encouragement.
The Manchester City vs Liverpool clash will kick off at 11:00 PM IST on Sunday, February 8. Star Sports and JioHotstar will provide live telecast and streaming of the Premier League fixture in India.
This game could hinge on that partnership, which has already produced six goals this season – the most productive of any Premier League pairing. Wirtz has perfected the art of short, precise passes for Ekitike to run on to and score. The striker said, “He is a great player who smells football, so it’s easy to play with him. I can do everything with that kind of player.” Ekitike added, “I just have to run into free space and I know he will find me. It’s fun to play with him.”
Wirtz is certainly thriving and, since December 20, no Premier League player has more assists, with his tally standing at seven.
Pep Guardiola is well aware of the Liverpool duo and has focused his defensive training this week on stopping Wirtz and Ekitike. After throwing away a two-goal lead against Tottenham last weekend, City’s new centre-back pairing of Marc Guehi and Abdukodir Khusanov struggled at times and will need time to understand each other, build chemistry and form a solid defensive unit.
On paper, City have the strongest squad, but there remains something lacking – a point Guardiola himself has admitted – and finding a solution is proving difficult. Up front, Erling Haaland and newly signed Antoine Semenyo are yet to click, although it is still early days following the former Bournemouth player’s arrival. Semenyo, however, is dangerous whenever he is on the ball. Alongside Bernardo Silva and Rayan Cherki, this attack has the potential to blow defences away.
Liverpool’s current standout performer, Dominik Szoboszlai, may not particularly enjoy operating in a deeper role, but it will be his responsibility to marshal the defence and organise Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk – no longer quite the defensive pillar he once was – and Milos Kerkez. He will also look to drive forward through the middle and play long passes into the path of Erling Haaland.
The match also features two of the best goalkeepers in the world: City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma, who saved his side from defeat last weekend with a series of spectacular stops, and Liverpool’s Alisson, whose reliability and calmness consistently give his defenders confidence.
Guardiola versus Arne Slot is a mouth-watering managerial contest, with both sides desperate for a win – City to keep the pressure on Arsenal at the top, and Liverpool as they push for a top-four finish and Champions League qualification next season.
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