Over the years, the Premier League has always delivered classic rivalries like the North London Derby, the Merseyside Derby, and even Manchester United v Chelsea because of their status and pedigree. It is safe to say that Liverpool v Manchester City is a rivalry like no other because one thing comes to mind, the Premier League title.
Two of England’s football powerhouses collide when Liverpool host Man City at the iconic Anfield on Sunday and it’s sure to deliver. With 12 matches played in the Premier League, it’s the Reds, with 31 points, who sit top of the table with an eight-point lead over City in second place with 23 points.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot, in his debut season, has enjoyed 10 wins from his opening 12 games losing just once. Pep Guardiola’s side have already lost three league games.
In their most recent encounter between the two sides, John Stones gave Man City a 1-0 lead from a Kevin de Bruyne corner. Liverpool equalized through a penalty from Alexis Mac Allister to level 1-1.
Premier League history
Liverpool and Man City are no strangers to silverware on the domestic stage, with both teams tasting Premier League glory as recently as the 2023-24 season. In fact, over the last eight Premier League seasons since Chelsea in 2016-17, both Liverpool and Man City have won the Premier League a combined seven times.
The Reds won their first-ever league title in 30 years in the 2019-20 season under the guidance of German manager Jurgen Klopp.
Man City have been formidable in the Premier League over the years, winning the title six times in the last eight seasons. The Citizens became the first-ever English side to win the league in an unbelievable four seasons in a row (2020-21,2021-22,2022-23 and 2023-24).
Since his appointment in August 2016, the Spaniard Guardiola has won six Premier League titles with Man City.
Classic Liverpool-Man City
Liverpool v Man City 2018
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain opened the scoring for Liverpool after nine minutes with a strike from range for 1-0. German forward Leroy Sane smashed home his effort from the left wing at the near post to equalize for City at 1-1.
Brazilian Roberto Firmino restored the Reds' lead with a delightful lob shot over City goalkeeper Ederson to put his side 2-1 in front.
Liverpool stretched their lead further after Sadio Mane unleashed a thunderous effort into the top left corner to make it 3-1 at Anfield. Mohamed Salah produced a moment of magic, with a lofted long-range effort into an empty net with Ederson off his line, giving Liverpool a huge 4-1 lead.
City’s Bernardo Silva pulled a goal back for 4-2, slotting home in the penalty area. Ilkay Gundogan scored the third for Man City to make it 4-3 but wasn’t enough as Liverpool took the victory and three big points.
Liverpool v City February 2021
German midfielder Gundogan put Man City ahead for 1-0 after slotting home from close range in the penalty area.
Salah leveled from the penalty spot for 1-1 after he was bought down by defender Ruben Dias. City were ahead again for 2-1 as Gundogan grabbed his second goal of the game following a very poor defensive error from Liverpool’s Alisson Becker in goal.
Raheem Sterling headed home City’s third goal from Silva’s cross after Alisson failed to clear inside the penalty area. Englishman Sterling made it 3-1 to City against his former team.
Phil Foden wrapped up the game with City’s fourth goal, cutting in from the right wing and onto his left foot to unleash a brilliant shot into the roof of the net for a thumping 4-1 victory at Anfield.
Liverpool v Man City October 2021
Mane fired Liverpool in front for 1-0 with the opening goal in the second half with a neat finish into the corner after being put through by Eygptian Salah.
Foden scored the equalizer for City to make it 1-1, striking home from a tight angle into the far corner, after he was found by Gabriel Jesus.
Salah scored in sensational style with an individual effort, as he dribbled and feinted past three City players before sweeping home to put the Reds back in front for 2-1.
Man City grabbed their second equalizer through midfield genius De Bruyne as his deflected shot caught out Alisson in the Liverpool goal, and all points were shared at Anfield.
Team News
Liverpool
Defenders Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate are major doubts for Sunday’s clash against Man City after picking up injuries - hamstring and ankle respectively - in Wednesday’s Champions League win against Real Madrid.
Slot confirmed that right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold could return to the starting line-up for the City game.
However, several other Reds players will miss the City match due to injury such as goalkeeper Alisson, Kostas Tsimikas, Diogo Jota, and Federico Chiesa.
Man City
City and England center-back Stones hasn’t played since the 4-0 home defeat to Tottenham last weekend as he continues to recover from a foot injury.
Mateo Kovacic, who had been covering in midfield for the injured Rodrigo Hernandez, is unavailable for up to a month with an injury he suffered whilst on national duty with Croatia.
Belgian winger Jeremy Doku, who missed the Champions League match against Feyenoord mid-week, continues to recover from a hamstring injury and is unlikely to play against Liverpool.
Long-term absentee Oscar Bobb has been out with a leg injury since pre-season and is not expected back for the current champions until at least February 2025.
Spanish midfielder Rodri had surgery on a serious knee injury he suffered in September and is not expected to play again for the rest of the season.
Possible line-ups
Liverpool
Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson; Jones, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Nunez, L. Diaz
Man City
Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; B. Silva, Gundogan; Savinho, Foden, Grealish; Haaland
Match Facts
In the 182 previous meetings between the two sides in all competitions, Liverpool have won 83 of those matches to Man City’s 49, whilst there have also both teams have drawn 50 times.
Liverpool have won just one of their last nine PL game against Man City (drawn five and lost three), a 1-0 home victory in October 2022.
The last time City beat Liverpool in their last 21 Premier League away matches was in February 2021 in a 4-1 victory.
Mo Salah not only has the most goals and assists combined this season (16) but his goal involvements have produced a league-high of 17 points this season.
Ilkay Gundogan has scored three of his four goals at Anfield against Liverpool for the Citizens but no Man City player has scored more away goals against the Reds in the Premier League’s history (Nicolas Anelka also with three).
Dutchman Slot meets Man City and Guardiola for the very first time this season. None of Liverpool’s last six managers have lost their first-ever league meeting with England’s reigning champions, - four wins and two draws - since Roy Evans’ 1-0 defeat to Manchester United in 1993-94.
Key Players
Mo Salah - Liverpool
Salah has 10 league goals and six assists in the Premier League this season. The Egyptian King has scored some memorable goals against Man City over the years including his brilliant solo effort in October 2021 where the game ended 2-2. Salah is currently eighth on the Premier League all-time goalscoring charts with 167 goals, just one place and eight strikes behind former Arsenal and France striker Thierry Henry.
Erling Haaland - Man City
Norweigen goal machine Erling Haaland sits top of the scoring list with 12 goals from 12 games this season. He scored one league goal in November which came in the 2-1 away defeat to Brighton. However, Haaland is ranked 63rd on the all-time Premier League scoring list with 75 goals to his name.
How to watch the game
The huge Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City takes place on Sunday, December 1st, 2024 at Anfield. Live coverage of the game will be available from 11:30 ET / 08:30 PT for all TV viewers to watch on Peacock, NBC, and USA Network.
