England Premier League
Saturday 1st April 2023
Kick off at 12:30pm GMT
Venue: Etihad Stadium
Match Preview:
The Premier League is back after the international break and what a game to kick off with on Saturday lunch time as Manchester City take on Liverpool. The Premier League is believed to be the best league in Europe if not the world but it’s not just the teams, players and competitiveness of football week in week out. It’s also about how such a huge game would open up the weekend of fixtures, in any other league this would be the final game of a busy weekend and it just shows how confident the league is in their product to hit us with this heavyweight clash at the beginning.
Manchester City will be the favourites to get the three points but at the same time they will be weary and will have to respect their opponents who they've had titanic battles with over the last few seasons. City come into this game a whopping 8 points behind league leaders Arsenal but they have a game in hand and will be playing them soon too, right here at the Etihad so there is all to play for. Pep Guardiola’s side have dropped some surprising points so far this season but they have won their last 3 games. At home City have almost been perfect with just one loss and 11 wins from 13 games played. With 43 goals scored they easily have the best offensive record in the league and they have won their last 4 games in a row at home, their last one finished in a 2-0 win over Newcastle.
Liverpool have had a poor season and that means that they are not in the title hunt and quite frankly that has been a huge surprise. In the last six weeks form has improved but the Reds haven’t been able to find their high level or what they call heavy metal level of football so far. The target for this season is to get 4th place for Champions League qualification however with two months of the season they find themselves seven points from that target- the good news is that the Reds have two games in hand over fourth placed Tottenham.
Form for Jurgen Klopp’s side has been mixed but they have still managed 3 wins in their last five. But they are having a season to forget and that was summed up by their stunning 7-0 demolish job of Manchester United which they followed up by losing to 19th placed Bournemouth. The problems for Liverpool have been away from home where they have lost seven of their 13 games and picked up 12 points from a possible 39. It’s just one win this year on the road so far and just 13 goals scored away from home.
Team News:
Manchester City: Phil Foden is out after his recent appendix operation. Erling Haaland has a groin injury and will need to be assessed before getting the all clear.
Liverpool: Luis Diaz who has missed the last four months could return but he is only 50/50 to do so. Stefan Bajcetic has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a thigh injury. Darwin Nunez will be assessed due to a recent knock on international duty. Thiago Alcantara remains sidelined with a hip injury.
Man City vs Liverpool Head to Head:
The teams last met here only in Decemeber in the EFL Cup in which Manchester City won 3-2, but this has been City’s only victory in the last 6 meetings.
It’s been almost 3 years since Manchester City beat Liverpool at home in a league game.
There is an 80% chance to see both teams to score.
Man City vs Liverpool Prediction:
This is a huge game as ever but there is another question here and one that should be posed. If Manchester City were to even draw this game and Arsenal win this weekend would the league title be over? The Gunners would have a 10 point advantage in this situation or an 11 point advantage if Liverpool were to win. Of course as the Premier League usually does there should be lots of twists and turns before anything is decided but certainly it looks like if City fail to win this game then Arsenal will truly be in the driving seat.
On paper and on form City should win this but at 1.57 one has to question if the bookmakers are genuinely worried that Liverpool could upset their title chances. It’s a worry for City of course that Erling Haaland could be missing and while the forward did miss out playing for Norway with a genuine injury one also has to question if Guardiola is just waiting until the last minute to include him in the side. Time and again City have started games too slowly and quality like Liverpool if they click here can cause them all sorts of problems, the Reds will certainly raise their game and now they are out of the Champions League it is all about trying to get a top four place now, the value could well be on the handicap for Liverpool and both team to score looks nailed on too.
Man City vs Liverpool Betting Tips:
Asian handicap (+1 Liverpool) at 1.82
Anytime goalscorer: Kevin De Bruyne at 4.00
Anytime goalscorer: Mohamed Salah at 3.75
Both teams to score at 1.66
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