Premier League rivals Liverpool and Manchester City go head-to-head in the Champions League quarter-finals tonight.
Manchester City and Liverpool are the two most exciting and attractive teams in the Premier League this season.
And the clubs will face off in the first leg at Anfield tonight before the return fixture at the Etihad next week.
Pep Guardiola‘s Premier League champions elect and Jurgen Klopp‘s swashbuckling Reds are the last remaining English sides in the competition after Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur were knocked out in the last 16.
It means only one English club has the chance to make the final but on the flip side the Premier League is guaranteed at least one team in the semi-finals.
But there is also an added incentive for two of the star players who will be on show, the coveted Player of the Year award.
Liverpool’s freescoring Mohamed Salah and City’s midfield lynchpin Kevin are widely considered the two frontrunners for the honour.
Who should win has sparked fervent debate and not just among fans of the Reds and the Cityzens.
Salah looks set to be the league’s top goalscorer while De Bruyne says he deserves the award for his consistent form throughout the season, as reported by The Sun.
Now Premier League legend Alan Shearer has delivered his verdict in an interview with Coral.
“He’s (Salah) had a magnificent season, scored some wonderful goals playing in a very, very attacking team who create so many chances,” Shearer told Coral.
“But he’s there, he’s been there more often than not and he’s finished them off albeit he has missed some chances as well.
“But he’s been electrifying and the tough thing when you have to mark him is that he can go both ways.
“He can go down the right hand side, I know his favourite way is to come in and curl it in with that left foot but he can be equally dangerous going down that right hand side
“He’s now four ahead of Harry Kane (in the scoring charts) and it will probably be between him (Salah) and Kevin De Bruyne who gets player of the season.”
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