Manchester City vs Liverpool - as it happened: Pep Guardiola's men run riot against 10-man Reds
Re-live all the action from the Etihad Stadium
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Your support makes all the difference.Manchester City and Liverpool have enjoyed good starts to the season, with two wins and a draw each from their opening three fixtures. But with City’s vast expenditure this summer, Pep Guardiola will be expecting nothing less than victory (three full-backs for a combined £130m demands as much).
The Catalan knows that this is the season for silverware, after a year in which he often struggled to master English football’s physicality. There can be no room for excuses, and there are no good reasons why City should not expect, let alone hope, to win the title.
Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp are fiercely competitive characters, even by the standards of Premier League managers, and will set up their sides to attack and dominate the other as much as possible.
It promises to be an engrossing encounter.
See who comes out on top by following all the live action below:
Here's everything you need to know about the match.
What time does it start?
Manchester City vs Liverpool kicks off at 12:30 BST on Saturday 9th September.
Where can I watch it?
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League from 12:30 BST. Highlights will be shown at 22:30 BST on BBC One.
It’s a big game for…
Roberto Firmino: Liverpool have been boosted by the news that influential Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany is unlikely to recover from injury in time to feature in this match.
All eyes will therefore be on Liverpool's leading man Firmino, who will fancy his chances against City's patched-up defence. Expect goals.
Best stat…
3: The number of years since Man City last beat Liverpool in the Premier League. Their last was a 3-1 win at the Etihad on August 25th 2014.
Remember when…
Willy Caballero’s penalty-saving heroics against Jurgen Klopp’s men clinched the League Cup for City in 2016.
Player to watch…
Kevin De Bruyne: The 26-year-old Belgian has started the season in dazzling form, occupying a new role deeper in midfield.
A wide range of passing is not the first skill associated with De Bruyne, but it is one he has exhibited abundantly this term. His versatility will be tested, though, against an in-form Liverpool.
Past three meetings…
Manchester City 1 (Aguero) Liverpool 1 (Milner), Premier League, March 2017
Liverpool 1 (Wijnaldum) Manchester City 0, Premier League, December 2016
Liverpool 3 (Lallana, Milner, Firmino) Manchester City 0, Premier League, March 2016
Form guide…
Manchester City: WDLWWW
Liverpool: WWWWDW
Odds…
Manchester City to win: 17/20
Liverpool to win: 16/5
Draw: 14/5
(Odds provided by 888 Sport)
Guardiola speaks pre-match
On the magnitude of the match: "This kind of game against big opponents is the reason why we are in the sport."
On his decision to play Sergio Aguero alongside Gabriel Jesus: "We try to score goals. Sometimes we will play both, sometimes one of them, sometimes none of them. Today I decided to go for both."
On the counter-attacking threat of Liverpool: "It is not easy because with Mane, Salah and Firmino they are so quick. When their opponents lose the ball, they are so quick. They are also well organised and a physical team. It's Liverpool, they are one of the best teams in history. We will try to play our game."
Manchester City vs Liverpool - last five Premier League meetings
- City 1-1 Liverpool (March 2017)
- Liverpool 1-0 City (December 2016)
- Liverpool 3-0 City (March 2016)
- City 1-4 Liverpool (November 2015)
- Liverpool 2-1 City (March 2015)
Will this man make his Liverpool debut this afternoon? Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is on the substitutes' bench for the Reds following his deadline day move from Arsenal.
The two teams are in the tunnel. Kick-off is just under five minutes away!
2' - A bright start from Liverpool as Mo Salah cuts inside from the right before offloading the ball to Alberto Moreno on the edge of the City penalty area.
The Spaniard's shot from distance deflects behind for a corner, which comes to nothing.
4' - City are awarded an early free-kick in a threatening position. Kevin De Bruyne delivers the ball from the right-hand side but Gabriel Jesus' header drifts wide.
6' - An early booking for Nicolas Otamendi as he scythes down Mo Salah right on the edge of City's penalty area.
The Argentine will be walking a tightrope for the remainder of the game.
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