In recent years, the confrontation between Man City and Liverpool has been decisive in the championship race. But at the moment, The Citizens' goal is only the top 4, while The Kop is in a very solid position at the top of the Premier League rankings.
After being eliminated from the Champions League against Real Madrid, finishing in the top 4 is currently the only way for City to qualify for the top tournament in Europe next season. They also have their only chance to win the FA Cup for the rest of the season.
However, the form of Pep Guardiola's team in the Premier League is not bad. The 4-0 victory over Newcastle helped Man City stay in 4th place before round 26 started. They have won all 3 of their most recent home matches, scoring at least 3 goals in each match.
On the other side, Liverpool just had a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa. They have won just one of their last four games in all competitions. In the last 8 away matches, The Kop have only had 2 wins.
However, overall, Arne Slot's army is very difficult to defeat. They have not lost an away match in the Premier League this season. The gap with the chasing team is still quite safe (8 points) before entering round 26.
Liverpool also had no trouble beating City 2-0 at Anfield at the start of the season. Therefore, although The Citizens have shown improvement in recent times, defeating the away team is not an easy challenge.
Expected lineup
Man City: Ederson; Lewis, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol; Gonzalez; Savinho, Silva, Foden, Marmoush; Haaland
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold; Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Jota
