Man City vs Liverpool tips and predictions: Titanic tussle at the Etihad as pair chase leaders Arsenal

Manchester City state of play 

Since their back to back defeats in the Premier League in late August, Manchester City have looked fairly ominous. 

Pep Guardiola’s side went on a nine match unbeaten run prior to their surprise loss to Aston Villa but responded well to that with three successive wins. This included thrashing Borussia Dortmund 4-1 in the Champions League, scoring 10 goals in the process. 

Want more? Get live Premier League match odds and bookmaker welcome bonuses

The title hopefuls are the top scorers in the Premier League and in Erling Haaland,  possess one of the most dangerous forwards in world football. The prolific number nine has an incredible 13 goals in 10 starts in the English top-flight and his numbers are better than ever before. 

Yes, even better than when he broke the record for most goals scored in a single Premier League campaign. 

If they have any hopes of reclaiming their crown this term, they can’t afford to drop points at the Etihad against rivals. Guardiola’s men trail Arsenal by six points right now, it could be nine points at kick-off if the Gunners beat Sunderland on Saturday evening. 

Liverpool state of play

Liverpool had the perfect start to the season, going five for five in the Premier League, beating Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and booking their place in the next round of the Carabao Cup, a competition they’ve done well in recently, with a win over Southampton. 

And then the wheels fell off. 

The Reds lost six of the next seven across all competitions, and this included four defeats on the spin. They have managed to win their last two - a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa and a 1-0 triumph over Real Madrid.  

But Arne Slot’s side are seven points off the pace in their pursuit of retaining their Premier League crown. 

This game could be the real acid test to whether they’ve ‘weathered the storm’.

Key talking point: Erling Haaland - the relentless goal-getter  

Haaland added a new celebration to his collection last weekend, doing the robot, made famous by Peter Crouch all those years ago. He captioned a picture of it on Instagram: “Guess I couldn’t hide it any longer…”

He’s been called a robot for years due to his goalscoring exploits. But his numbers this season are the best of his Manchester City career. He is relentless. He is inevitable. He is a goalscoring robot. 

READ: Premier League tips and predictions: Weekly odds and expert betting tips

Yet he doesn’t have the best record against Liverpool and this will be one to keep an eye on during the match. 

With just one goal in four appearances against the Reds since the move to the Etihad, this fixture has been a bit of a barren one for the Norway international. He’s never faced them in this sort of form though. 

FIRST.com’s top tip -  Manchester City vs Liverpool

Pick: Mohamed Salah to score anytime in the match - 21/10 - Ladbrokes

Mohamed Salah hasn’t been at his best this season but he has scored in successive Premier League games heading into this fixture. 

He also has quite a remarkable record against Guardiola’s team having scored nine and assisted six in 16 matches. 

The Egypt international scored and assisted in both games last season and always seems to make moments against this opposition matter. 

Extra tips

Pick: Dominik Szoboszlai to be carded - 18/5 - Ladbrokes

Dominik Szoboszlai has been a one-man midfield for Liverpool over recent weeks. Deployed in an attacking midfield role that he thrived in last season. 

He’s put in a huge shift over recent weeks to be everywhere and anywhere the team needs him to be. 

There are a lot of minutes in his legs, he’ll be up for this game and that combination means he might be responsible for one or two fouls. He’s a prime pick for a booking in this game - a prop bet worth looking at like these markets this weekend.

Team news

The hosts are without Mateo Kovacic until the New Year but, aside from that absence, Guardiola has a full squad to pick from. 

Liverpool, meanwhile, are still without Alisson Becker, Giovanni Leoni and Jeremie Frimpong. Alexander Isak, despite being called up by Sweden for the upcoming international fixtures, could well miss out again. 

Manchester City vs Liverpool line-ups 

Manchester City: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias,  Gvardiol, O’Reily; Silva, Gonzalez; Savinho, Gonzalez; Cherki, Foden, Doku; Haaland (4-2-3-1)

Liverpool: Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szboboszlai; Salah, Gakpo, Ekitike. (4-3-3)

Form guide

Manchester City: WWDWWWLWWW

Liverpool: WLLLLWLLWW

Responsible gambling with FIRST.com

You must be 18+ to gamble. Gambling is a form of entertainment, not a way to make money. Our tips and advice help you enjoy gambling, but there is always a chance a bet or casino game can lose.

Never bet more than you can afford to lose. Stop betting if you are angry, emotional or under the influence of alcohol.

Warning signs of problem gambling: chasing losses, betting money needed for bills, or feeling unable to stop.

Need help? Visit our responsible sports betting page or our responsible casino gambling page, or contact the support organisations listed below if you're struggling to control your gambling:

Gamblers Anonymous UK

BeGambleAware

GAMSTOP

National Gambling Support Network

Gamcare

NHS National Gambling Clinic

Odds correct at the time of writing.