Manchester City welcome Sergio Aguero back into the fold to face Liverpool – as City hope to end their awful Premier League form at Anfield.
Despite the multitude of talents available to various Manchester City managers over the past decade, a Premier League win at Anfield has eluded the Citizens. In fact, City’s last league victory in front of the Kop was a 2-1 result back in May 2003 – curtesy of two late Nicolas Anelka strikes.
More than 13 years later, Pep Guardiola is the latest manager to take a City team to Anfield – and the former Bayern Munich boss will renew an old Bundesliga touchline rivalry with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, which sees both managers claim four victories each throughout their eight encounters in German football.
Ahead of City’s trip to Merseyside, Guardiola welcomes back the talismanic Sergio Aguero, after the Argentina international striker served the last of his four game ban against Hull City on Boxing Day. Aguero, who saw red for a challenge on David Luiz during a 3-1 loss to Chelsea at the start of the month, will be itching to add to his 16 goals in just 19 games so far this season.
Despite the absence of Aguero, City have continued their fine goalscoring form, with 9 goals in the 4 games that Aguero missed. Further, with 39 goals from 18 league games, City are the Premier League’s second most prolific team in front of goal – with only opponents Liverpool ahead on 45 strikes.
With both sides free-scoring and accustomed to playing an offensive, pressing style, we may well see a goal-filled encounter – especially considering City’s potential line-up.
Ahead of goalkeeper Claudio Bravo we are likely to see a slightly more traditional back four, consisting of right back Bacary Sagna, left back Gael Clichy and a central defensive pairing of Nicolas Otamendi and Aleksandar Kolarov. Big money signing, John Stones, is likely to miss out due to a combination of a slight knee injury and poor recent form.
In midfield, Fernandinho is expected to play deeper than the attack-minded quartet of Yaya Toure, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling. The latter may possibly be afforded a start ahead of growing fans favourite Leroy Sane, Nolito and Jesus Navas by virtue of the opposition.
Sterling left Liverpool under a cloud before his eventual £47 million switch to City – and may offer that little extra incentive to impact at Anfield against his previous employers, as part of a very froward thinking City line-up.
Here is the predicted Manchester City line-up in full:
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