These Reds are simply on fire. Liverpool are now living up to the lofty expectations thrust upon them at the start of the season by putting up some very impressive results in recent months. But the Reds’ renaissance will be put to yet another test when champions Manchester City come knocking at the Kop.
Can City finally hand red-hot Liverpool a loss? Read on as we preview this terrific tie between two of England’s heavyweights.
Liverpool’s Merseyside neighbors, Everton, travel to London this weekend as they face third-place Arsenal. Check out our preview of that matchup here.
[sc:Soccer ]Liverpool vs. Manchester City Betting Preview
Where: Anfield, Liverpool, England
When: Sunday, March 1, 7:00 AM ET
Line: Manchester City +135 at Liverpool +170, tie +218; total 2.5 – view all EPL lines
What’s at Stake
With Chelsea inactive this weekend, Man City can close the gap on the leaders to two points with a win at Liverpool. As for the Reds, they can jump up to fourth in the table if they win and certain results go their way.
Betting on Liverpool
Liverpool are just locked in right now. The resurgent Reds have gone unbeaten for two solid months in the Premier League, going 7-0-3 in their last 10 matches. They aren’t beating up on weaklings, either. Six of the 10 teams they’ve faced during that stretch are currently in the top 10 in the table, and they beat five of them.
[sc:Soccer240banner ]Liverpool have looked particularly impressive in their last two games as they knocked off seventh-placed Tottenham (3-2) at home and fifth-placed Southampton (2-0) away.
Liverpool are currently teeming with attacking options, as their strikers are reaching top form at about the same time. Raheem Sterling has scored four times in nine appearances in 2015, Daniel Sturridge is at (or close to) full fitness, and Mario Balotelli has scored two late game-winning goals in his last three appearances.
Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho are thriving in their advanced midfield positions, while 19-year old Jordan Ibe has given the team an unexpected spark at right wing-back. Ibe will have space to roam on the flank against a narrow Man City formation, and should look to exploit it to create chances for their hot strikers.
Liverpool won’t get much rest after their second leg tie against Besiktas on Thursday, but their strength in depth up front should help keep their stars relatively fresh for the visit of Man City. Liverpool have scored at least two goals in each of their last five home games, and 13 in total.
Liverpool are unbeaten at Anfield against Man City since 2003.
Betting on Manchester City
Manchester City were thoroughly outplayed by Barcelona in one half, but recovered in the second to salvage a surmountable 2-1 deficit in their Champions League first leg on Tuesday. As consolation, the defending English champions can now return to domestic play, where they’re getting back to their very best.
City won their last two league games in emphatic fashion, drubbing a dangerous Stoke team, 4-1, away and demolishing Newcastle, 5-0, at home. Sergio Aguero scored three goals in those games to give him 17 on the season, tied with Chelsea’s Diego Costa for the league lead.
City should also be encouraged by the good form of attacking midfielders David Silva (two goals against Newcastle) and midfielder Samir Nasri, who recorded a goal and an assist in both games. The middle of the field could be congested due to two teams’ midfielder-heavy lineups, but Silva and Nasri have the quality to create scoring opportunities in those tight spaces.
The City midfield will also feature Yaya Toure, who made his return to the lineup against Newcastle after his month-long African Cup of Nations duty. Toure should fancy his chances of overpowering Liverpool’s relatively lightweight midfield duo of Jordan Henderson and Joe Allen.
Despite their over decade-long drought at Anfield, Man City still have a very good goalscoring record in the famous stadium. They’ve scored two goals in each of their last three trips to Liverpool.
Writer’s Prediction
It’ll be another very exciting matchup with a bunch of goals between the two, but Liverpool wins again at Anfield, 2-1. Create a betting account now to enjoy more of the English Premier League’s epic matchups.
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