Liverpool vs Manchester City preview: How to watch, kick-off time, team news, predicted lineups and ones to watch

Liverpool host Manchester City at Anfield as they look to improve on their dip in form.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 08: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool is challenged by Joao Cancelo of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool at Etihad Stadium on November 08, 2020 in Manchester, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

By Tom Alston7 February 2021 00:39 BST

Liverpool will be looking to rectify their embarrassing form and turn Anfield back into a fortress when they welcome top of the table Manchester City on Sunday.

Before playing Burnley earlier this year Jurgen Klopp's men had accumulated a 68 game unbeaten run at Anfield. However, since then the Reds have lost two home games on the bounce, the first time since 2012.

Klopp and his players will be desperately looking to get back to winning ways especially against Pep Guardiola's Man City.

This may prove difficult with City sitting three points clear with a game in hand at the top of the Premier League table.

City are currently on a 13 game unbeaten run in the league and don't show any signs of slowing down despite losing their talisman Kevin de Bruyne through injury.

Team news

Liverpool welcome back a triplet of players with Sadio Mane, Fabinho and Alisson all returning to the squad having missed the midweek loss to Burnley.

Naby Keita, Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk all still remain out as well as Diogo Jota who has begun individual training at Kirkby.

It will also be the first time both of Liverpool's new signings will be available to play after Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak both participated in team training sessions this week.

Take a look at the photo gallery from today's session at the @AXA Training Centre 📸 #LIVMCI
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 5, 2021

Not a lot has changed for City as De Bruyne, Nathan Ake and Sergio Aguero are the only players who will miss out on the match.

Predicted lineups

Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Henderson, Fabinho, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Thiago, Jones, Salah, Firmino, Mane.

Manchester City (4-3-3): Ederson, Cancelo, Stones, Dias, Zinchenko, Gundogan, Rodri, Silva, Foden, Sterling, Jesus.

Ones to watch

Mohamed Salah will be looking to replicate what he did in the reverse fixture and bag himself another goal. The Egyptian is currently the Premier League top goal scorer with 15 goals.

He will be looking to add to this tally after he failed to score in Liverpool's previous match against Brighton. Liverpool have also failed to score in their last three home games and will be looking to their start striker to come out on top.

A player to watch for City is Ilkay Gundogan. The German midfielder has filled the boots of the injured De Bruyne and shone for City in recent weeks.

Formally managed by Klopp, Gundogan scored two in City's game against West Bromwich Albion and had a man-of-the-match performance against Sheffield United.

He will be looking to continue his fine form against Liverpool on Sunday.

Previous meeting

The reverse fixture saw a stalemate at the Etihad. Salah's penalty opened up the scoring before Bernado Silva cancelled out his goal to level the score for City.

Klopp will be hoping to come away with all three points this time around at Anfield.