TEAM NEWS
Fabian Delph remains suspended, while Benjamin Mendy is a long-term absentee. Ilkay Gundogan is set to return for Manchester City after missing the win at Southampton, and Kevin De Bruyne is back in training after a muscle injury.
Liverpool midfielder James Milner is available following a two-match absence with a muscular problem.
Left-back Alberto Moreno has recovered from a back complaint, while Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita are among those in contention for a recall.
RADIO 5 LIVE COMMENTATOR’S NOTES
John Murray: The first Thursday in January feels almost indecently early to be talking “title decider”.
Even the recent history between these two clubs teaches us a lesson in not going too early. On 20 April 2014 Liverpool led Manchester City by nine points. Twenty-one days later, City won the title.
While they’ve scored a combined total of 136 league and cup goals between them this season, at Anfield in October it was over an hour before anyone had an attempt on target.
It will surely be different on Thursday night though, and at ten o’clock we can see what the league table looks like.
VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on Liverpool: “The reality is clear. We are seven points down. This will be the second game of the second leg so there are a lot of points to play for.
“It is a big opportunity for us to reduce the gap. Our focus is the same.
“Everybody has been asking what will happen if we lose. We are going to try to make our game, to be there and be fighting for the Premier League for as far as possible.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: “It’s a normal game against Manchester City. A very difficult one.
“They are a really strong football team with an outstanding manager. We have to be brave and full of desire, same as all of the other games. For me, they are the best team in the world.
“People say we go there most likely to win. It’s not true. It’s not reality.”
LAWRO’S PREDICTION
It’s a massive fixture. Because it’s Liverpool, Pep Guardiola’s side will need to win. The Reds, on the other hand, will be happy with the win or draw.
Of course, they won’t play for the draw, but a point will make City’s attempt to close the seven-point gap a lot more difficult.
These two teams will have massive respect for each other’s attack, and because of that I think this will be a stalemate.
Prediction: 1-1
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Manchester City’s 5-0 victory in the corresponding fixture last season is their solitary win in the past 11 meetings in all competitions (D3, L7).
- However, Liverpool’s only triumph in nine league visits to the Etihad Stadium was by a 4-1 scoreline in Jürgen Klopp’s first away game against City in November 2015.
Manchester City
- City could lose consecutive Premier League home matches for the first time since February 2016. Pep Guardiola has never suffered successive top-flight home defeats as a manager.
- Manchester City have won their opening Premier League match of the calendar year in 11 of the past 12 seasons – losing the other in 2012 away at Sunderland.
- They have gone 10 matches in all competitions without a clean sheet – their longest streak since a similar run ended in February 2015.
- Guardiola’s next win will be his 100th in charge of Manchester City.
- He has lost seven matches against Jürgen Klopp, more than versus anyone else in his managerial career. The pair have faced each other 15 times, with Guardiola winning five (excluding penalty shootouts).
- Sergio Agüero has scored in all six of his home league appearances against Liverpool. He has 249 career league goals.
Liverpool
- Liverpool began 2019 with a seven-point lead at the top – no team has ever failed to win the title after heading into the new year so far ahead.
- This is only the ninth time a team has remained unbeaten after 20 fixtures of a top-flight season, with Liverpool now achieving the feat twice. Sheffield United, in 1899-1900, are the only side unbeaten at this stage who didn’t finish the season as champions.
- The Reds have equalled the record for fewest goals conceded in the opening 20 fixtures of a top-flight season: eight, set by Chelsea in 2004-05.
- Liverpool have won nine consecutive league matches – but only five of their past 17 games in all competitions in January (D5, L7).
- Their solitary win in the past 10 Premier League away fixtures against the other established top-six sides came against Spurs at Wembley in September (D5, L4).
- Mohamed Salah has scored three goals and set up two more in his last four games against Manchester City in all competitions. He has also scored and provided an assist in each of his last three league matches.
Source: BBC News
