Make no mistake, Liverpool versus Manchester City remains the most thrilling and typically anticipated Premier League contest – and that’s in spite of Pep Guardiola’s side’s startling drop-off.
Also, Jurgen Klopp has long packed his bags and has been replaced by Arne Slot. But Liverpool have a top-flight title to win and the division knows that they cannot afford to drop points for a third time in four matches, even with Arsenal slipping up on Saturday.
Liverpool currently boast an eight-point lead over Arsenal but failure to return to winning ways would provide Mikel Arteta’s side with an in – less than two weeks after the Reds could have gone nine clear had they held Everton at bay.
Man City are not at their best. The four-in-a-row Premier League champions trail by a considerable 17-point margin and look a shadow of their former selves, but then Liverpool hardly boast a good record at the Etihad Stadium and have looked out of kilter recently.
23/24
Premier League
1-1 draw
22/23
Premier League
4-1 loss
22/23
Carabao Cup
3-2 loss
21/22
Premier League
2-2 draw
20/21
Premier League
1-1 draw
Let’s hope Slot’s squad can rise to the occasion.
Liverpool team news
The Merseysiders will be sweating over the fitness of Cody Gakpo, Liverpool’s most potent attacking threat barring Mohamed Salah.
The Dutchman has missed the past two games in the Premier League after being forced off against Everton and Slot has revealed that it’s touch-and-go ahead of this afternoon’s looming fixture, calling the situation a “close call.”
Elsewhere, Conor Bradley is sidelined once again after being forced off during the recent Villa Park draw with a hamstring issue, severity unknown.
With Joe Gomez sidelined until the final stages of the season, Slot will be concerned about his right-back department, for he is having to manage Trent Alexander-Arnold’s minutes.
This is the same for misfiring striker Diogo Jota. With that in mind – could there be a scenario where we see Darwin Nunez playing from the opening whistle against Man City?
Why Slot could start Darwin Nunez
Nunez has long been a polarising figure for those of a Liverpool persuasion. On one hand, he’s an agent of chaos; on the other, utterly profligate and frustrating at number nine.
The problem is that he’s making it very difficult for those staunch supporters to maintain their faith. Nunez left Liverpool in dismay when failing to convert a deliciously served cross-box ball from Dominik Szoboszlai to give the visitors a 3-2 lead at Villa Park.
Liverpool were firmly in the ascendancy after Alexander-Arnold’s strike, but Nunez’s goal seemed to knock the mounting pressure and consigned Slot to a second successive draw on the road.
Nunez is still a talented and dynamic forward, capable of hurting a shaky defence like City. As per FBref, he actually ranks among the top 11% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shots taken, the top 5% for touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 3% for tackles per 90.
Perhaps he could pose a threat. After all, he has it all to prove.
Matches (starts)
29 (19)
36 (22)
20 (7)
Goals
9
11
4
Assists
3
8
2
Shots (on target)*
2.9 (1.3)
3.0 (1.3)
1.2 (0.5)
Big chances missed
20
27
4
At least Nunez’s wastefulness in front of goal has been reduced this term. It might not feel like it, but he’s actually only missed four big chances in the Premier League this term, converting four strikers.
There’s another forward in Liverpool’s squad who’s missed more. He was rested in midweek, but Slot might want to think about keeping Luis Diaz on the bench at the Etihad.
Slot must bench Luis Diaz
If Gakpo returns to the starting line-up, Diaz, Jota and Nunez will tussle for the central starting berth. Though Diaz began as a substitute against Aston Villa and has been Slot’s recognised option for most of the campaign, he shouldn’t get the nod against Man City.
In November, Diaz, described as a “livewire” by journalist Peter Hall, bagged a brilliant hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League but has since only scored in two of his ten matches since at number nine, yet to provide an assist.
Jota, conversely, managed to provide a neat lay-off for Salah in his recent match despite flattering to deceive, skewing a wonderful chance well wide and losing possession ten times – having also only completed ten passes.
If Jota is unable to play the full 90 – or indeed if Nunez starts – unleashing Diaz in the later stages could bear dividends for the Reds. He’s a multi-faceted forward with energy and an electric swagger, ranking among the top 4% of Premier League forwards this season for pass completion and the top 1% for progressive carries and shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.
Also, he might have missed seven big chances in the Premier League this season – more than even Nunez – but he’s also put nine goals away for Slot’s team, speaking of a greater clinical ability than Nunez, which is admittedly nothing to write home about.
It feels like Jota will be the one to get the nod. He might be out of form but the Portugal international has been described by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher as Liverpool’s best goalscorer “in terms of pure finishing.”
Moreover, he’s naturally best equipped to deal with the Citizen central defence, whereas Diaz could damage tired legs late on.
In any case, Liverpool have enough firepower to get the job done. It won’t be easy, but the title-chasing Reds need a response after a recent blip, with Arsenal right behind them.
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