Liverpool vs Man City: Title fate on the line

Anfield forms the backdrop for a heavyweight Premier League showdown between leaders Liverpool and reigning holders Manchester City.

In a pinnacle of English club football, Arne Slot’s charges bid to extend their handsome eight-point lead at the table’s summit at the expense of the perennial champions.

Confidence is at an all-time high on Merseyside after goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo inspired the Reds to a 2-0 home win against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

Slot made Liverpool only the fifth team in UEFA Champions League history to win their first four matches of a new campaign while only conceding once, keeping them firmly at the top.

Brimming with optimism after racking up a jaw-dropping 17th win in his 19 games in charge across all competitions, the Dutch manager braces up for the most challenging domestic task.

Speaking to the media in the build-up to Sunday’s blockbuster, Slot back his Man City counterpart, Pep Guardiola, to ‘find solutions’ to his team’s full-blown crisis.

Guardiola’s charges come into proceedings as pre-match underdogs for the first time since April 2017 following a morale-wracking 3-3 draw against Feyenoord in midweek Champions League action.

Despite halting an unfathomable five-game losing streak, the Cityzens are up a creek without a paddle heading into one of the most heavily anticipated fixtures in the Premier League calendar.

Fans who enjoy watching live football on TV can kick back and enjoy as Liverpool and Man City clash in a high-stakes battle for supremacy in the world’s most competitive championship.

Untouchables

Arsene Wenger’s famous ‘Invincibles’ remain safe, as Liverpool cannot match Arsenal’s historic undefeated run to the Premier League title two decades ago.

However, the Gunners played out 12 draws during their unprecedented title-winning season, while the Reds keep posting victories for fun, no matter the opposition.

There’s a feeling that no one can touch Liverpool this season, even though Nottingham Forest stunned Anfield in mid-September, inflicting Slot’s only defeat at the helm.

Slot’s response has been fierce.

Except for a 2-2 draw at Arsenal in late October, the Reds have won seven of their eight league outings since that heartbreaking result to go eight points clear at the summit.

Liverpool showcased their mental fortitude last weekend, overhauling Southampton’s second-half advantage to take a 3-2 victory at St Mary’s Stadium.

For further context, Slot joined a select group of managers to have won ten of their first 12 Premier League matches, standing alongside Guus Hiddink and Carlo Ancelotti in this elite category.

Troubles in paradise

In stark contrast to Liverpool’s formidable start under Slot, Man City seem on the verge of an epic collapse after lifting an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title.

Guardiola had overseen five consecutive defeats for the first time in his trophy-laden managerial career, including a humiliating 4-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

That was the Spaniard’s heaviest home defeat and Man City’s worst home loss in league action since 2003, highlighting the depth of the crisis at the Etihad Stadium.

Leaving the comforts of their home to take on a high-flying Liverpool after conceding 2+ goals in six matches on the trot only spells further trouble for the defending champions.

Anfield hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the Cityzens by any stretch of the imagination.

Indeed, they have only won once on their last 21 top-flight visits to Liverpool’s home venue (D7, L13), underscoring the magnitude of the task awaiting them on Sunday.

Knockout punch

Liverpool could take a decisive step towards a long-awaited 20th Premier League title with a win against an out-of-sorts Man City side.

Condemning the Etihad outfit to a fourth successive league defeat for the first time since 2004 would put clear daylight between the teams.

Though we’re still early in the season, an 11-point lead would be almost unattainable even for a squad of City’s potential.

Slot’s men could seal Man City’s title fate here and now, and few would dare to bet against them.