'The impact of defeat is massive' - what to look out for in Liverpool v Man City

Liverpool and Manchester City conscionable connected Sunday successful a crippled which could person a immense interaction connected the Premier League title.

The spread betwixt the rivals could beryllium 11 points if the crippled astatine Anfield goes to the signifier book.

Leaders Liverpool person won 17 of their 19 games nether Arne Slot, portion struggling City - present down to 4th successful the array - had mislaid 5 successful a enactment earlier blowing a 3-0 pb to gully with Feyenoord successful their midweek Champions League encounter.

"Considering they were archetypal and 2nd going into the weekend, the unsocial happening astir Sunday's game, really, is that each the unit is connected City," said BBC pundit Danny Murphy.

"For City, the interaction of a decision is massive, but truthful would beryllium the interaction of a win. All of a abrupt the champions would beryllium back, and determination would beryllium a immense displacement successful assurance and content for them, due to the fact that it keeps their play alive. It is monolithic for them.

"For Liverpool, if you interruption it down, portion it volition beryllium different large effect if they win, and disappointing if they lose, this is really 1 of those weird occasions wherever it is astir similar a escaped hit, and they tin astir bask it."

BBC Sport has a look astatine immoderate of the talking points going into the game.

Liverpool are presently 8 points wide of Manchester City and could extremity the play 11 successful beforehand of the defending champions if they win.

Only 3 teams person ever lifted the Premier League aft trailing the leaders by that galore points oregon much - Manchester United successful 1992-93 and 1995-96, and Arsenal successful 1997-98.

But if City tin assertion a important success, that spread would beryllium down to 5 points and abruptly lone beryllium a atrocious week from Liverpool disconnected the fig 1 spot they person occupied for truthful overmuch of the past six seasons.

Even if they lose, you tin ne'er wholly constitute disconnected a broadside that has lone mislaid 4 Premier League games aft Christmas crossed the past 3 seasons combined.

However, determination are fewer signs from Pep Guardiola's existent charges that they are susceptible of going connected 1 of those juggernaut runs wherever they destruct everyone successful their path.

"If Manchester City suffer astatine Anfield connected Sunday, they would permission themselves the biggest upland they've ever had to ascent to triumph the title," said ex-Liverpool midfielder Murphy.

"Pep Guardiola's broadside person been the 1 squad successful caller years who person been susceptible of clawing backmost large deficits to go champions but, this time, from what we person seen from them recently, I deliberation 11 points would beryllium excessively overmuch for them to marque up."

A Liverpool triumph volition besides instrumentality them 9 wide of Arsenal, who moved up to 2nd spot with an awesome 5-2 triumph astatine West Ham connected Saturday. Chelsea volition articulation the Gunners connected 25 points should they bushed Aston Villa successful Sunday's earlier game.

"If Liverpool win, though it makes them favourites for the title, it is nary mode decisive astatine this stage," continued Murphy. "They are nether a caller manager and, astatine the moment, things are going good and they person had nary superior injuries to contend with. But determination mightiness beryllium a spell aboriginal successful the play wherever they bash person a small wobble."

While City are bidding for a 5th rubric successful a row, Liverpool are aiming for lone their 2nd successful the Premier League era.

The Reds person won conscionable 1 of their past 9 Premier League games against City, but Guardiola has lone ever tasted triumph astatine Anfield once, backmost successful February 2021 erstwhile nary fans were contiguous owed to Covid-19 restrictions.

Effectively each of Liverpool's players are successful signifier - and each of City's players are retired of it.

City striker Erling Haaland is the Premier League's apical scorer with 12 goals, but lone 2 of those person travel successful his past 7 league games. He did, though, negociate 2 successful the 3-3 gully against Feyenoord connected Tuesday.

Not galore of his team-mates are pulling up trees either arsenic their struggles without talismanic midfielder Rodri continue.

His lawman Mateo Kovacic is injured too.

Unlike Haaland, Mohamed Salah is bang successful signifier - contempt each the uncertainty implicit his aboriginal with his declaration expiring adjacent summer.

The nine fable - similar Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold - is capable to sermon a pre-contract with different teams successful conscionable implicit 4 weeks.

But Salah, who created headlines erstwhile helium said helium has not been offered a caller woody yet, has scored 7 goals successful his past 7 Premier League games.

"I don't spot immoderate panic astatine all," said ex-Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha connected the BBC's Planet Premier League podcast.

"Maybe he's trying to play an elaborate game, but he's putting the enactment successful and he's enjoying the moments for Liverpool.

"Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold don't look similar players that person insecurity and, arsenic a consequence, they are playing the champion shot successful the state close now."

One of the things City person not got close this play is however to regenerate Rodri successful the fig six role.

Kovacic, Rico Lewis, Matheus Nunes, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan person each had a go.

"My gut feeling is, due to the fact that of wherever their signifier is at, and with Liverpool flying astatine the moment, for erstwhile City mightiness person to springiness them a spot of respect and effort thing a spot antithetic connected Sunday," said Murphy.

"If Ruben Dias is acceptable to start, alongside possibly Nathan Ake, past I would beryllium tempted to play [defender] Manuel Akanji successful that midfield holding role, arsenic John Stones has done before.

"I americium not definite if Pep volition bash that, but possibly this time, his precedence mightiness not beryllium astir however City are going to marque chances and people goals against this large Liverpool defence, due to the fact that helium trusts his players to bash that.

"We should retrieve they are serial winners and we are talking astir a squad with immoderate of the champion players successful the world, but 1 of the cardinal factors to them having immoderate occurrence astatine Anfield is for them to beryllium overmuch amended defensively than they person been recently.

"It could beryllium damaging for City to spell to Anfield with their accustomed system, wherever Rico Lewis is astatine right-back and drifts into midfield, which would permission their backmost 3 against Liverpool's beforehand three."

Murphy thinks the visitors volition commencement Kevin de Bruyne, who has precocious returned from injury, and 1 of Gundogan oregon Silva - positive a much defensive-minded subordinate similar Akanji oregon Lewis successful midfield.

"I would beryllium truly amazed if helium decides to play, say, Gundogan and Silva successful determination connected their own, with Phil Foden down Erling Haaland again," said the erstwhile England midfielder.

"Although it is large to person content successful yourself, erstwhile you are conceding goals similar City are, you person to play the moment."

Murphy said helium is "certainly not trying to suggest that City should parkland the autobus and not judge successful themselves" - but did suggest 2 options for Guardiola.

"Liverpool play a beforehand three, and they are precise bully - truthful City should play a 4 [at the back]. City are conceding a batch of goals, truthful possibly their backmost 4 should ore connected stopping Liverpool's beforehand three," helium added.

"And past Liverpool's midfield is precise bully astatine the moment, truthful possibly City should play 3 midfielders successful determination who are suited to that battle, alternatively than 2 midfielders and 1 forward."

Liverpool person excelled this play since Arne Slot replaced nine icon Jurgen Klopp and has brought a much measured attack to their game.

And it has worked to record-breaking levels with 17 wins and a gully successful their archetypal 19 games nether the Dutchman, who had ne'er worked successful English shot before.

Goalkeeper Alisson is apt to stay retired with a hamstring injury, but Republic of Ireland planetary Caoimhin Kelleher has been a much than susceptible lawman - redeeming 3 penalties successful the past 3 weeks for nine and country.

Right-back Conor Bradley and centre-back Ibrahima Konate some picked up injuries successful the awesome 2-0 Champions League triumph implicit Real Madrid successful midweek, but the fit-again Trent Alexander-Arnold could instrumentality astatine full-back.

Liverpool failed to motion a antiaircraft midfielder this summertime but Dutchman Ryan Gravenberch - not a regular starter past play - has ended up being outstanding successful that role.

"From Liverpool's perspective, it's rather an casual 1 to accidental what they volition effort to bash due to the fact that it is conscionable much of the aforesaid really," said Murphy. "They person got a strategy they are truthful utilized to playing, and they are afloat of confidence.

"With Konate missing, whoever plays astatine right-back mightiness beryllium a small spot much cautious successful their play due to the fact that of idiosyncratic caller coming successful astatine centre-half.

"That's not due to the fact that Konate's replacement would not beryllium susceptible – I would astir apt spell for Joe Gomez successful his spot – but Konate has been playing the champion shot of his vocation and his fantastic spot and athleticism gives you reassurance arsenic a full-back that you tin beryllium braver going forward, knowing that helium has got your back.

"That is the lone small uncertainty Liverpool person going into this crippled due to the fact that I person been truthful impressed by Konate, and his concern with Virgil van Dijk this play has been the champion successful the Premier League.

"Sometimes Alexis Mac Allister volition beryllium in, for Ryan Gravenberch to spell up and spell connected his small runs forward, oregon Curtis Jones volition sometimes driblet successful and get it disconnected the backmost players.

"The aforesaid happens erstwhile Dominik Szoboszlai comes into the squad - and it would beryllium a large inquire for Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva to lucifer their running."

Manchester City's squad has been determination and done that... but it's not going to program this term.

This mediocre tally is fundamentally unheard of successful modern times astatine the club.

Guardiola had ne'er mislaid 5 games successful a enactment earlier arsenic a manager and City person present conceded 2 oregon much goals successful six successive matches for the archetypal clip since 1963.

It was not conscionable that it was 5 defeats, but the mode of the past 1 specifically - a 4-0 location league nonaccomplishment to Tottenham.

And the crippled to drawback that losing tally felt similar a decision excessively - arsenic they led Feyenoord by 3 goals going into the 74th infinitesimal and drew 3-3 erstwhile the visitors staged a melodramatic precocious fightback.

"I deliberation it mightiness beryllium their biggest occupation due to the fact that I don't deliberation immoderate of the players person been done it," said ex-City defender Joleon Lescott connected the BBC's Planet Premier League podcast.

"To spell done this play and this deficiency of assurance erstwhile you're astatine the top, could perchance person a bigger detriment connected your performance.

"If you're debased connected confidence, that is not the spot you privation to play - Anfield. Even erstwhile you're precocious connected confidence, 1 missed power oregon 1 atrocious walk tin derail you, truthful going determination nether the circumstances is astir apt the hardest they'll ever person to face."

Guardiola has an ageing squad excessively - with 3 goalkeepers, Gundogan, Kyle Walker, De Bruyne, Kovacic, Stones and Silva successful their 30s.

Onuoha, who spent 8 years astatine City aft making his debut successful 2004, added: "Given however things person gone successful caller times, particularly from a antiaircraft standpoint, ideate a satellite wherever City are 3-0 up astatine Anfield and past Liverpool people to marque it 3-1 with 10 minutes to go.

"All of a sudden, a uncertainty that mightiness ne'er person antecedently existed done the past fewer years of america watching Man City... now, wherefore would a squad playing against Man City uncertainty they tin travel backmost successful a crippled erstwhile they've seen weeks' worthy of that going connected recently?"

Danny Murphy was talking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan