It could be the fixture that all but rules Pep Guardiola’s Man City side out of the Premier League title race this season, but he isn’t giving up without a fight and has still gone with a strong squad despite the absence of star striker, Erling Haaland, against Liverpool.
The goal machine who already has 28 goals from 26 games per BBC Sport, had been a doubt after apparently receiving treatment on a troublesome groin injury per The Independent and Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off has come just to early for City to take the risk.
Whether that will be crucial in the race to overhaul Arsenal at the top of the table, only time will tell.
Your City XI ?
XI | Ederson, Stones, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Rodrigo, Gundogan (C), De Bruyne, Mahrez, Grealish, Alvarez
SUBS | Ortega Moreno, Walker, Phillips, Laporte, Bernardo, Gomez, Perrone, Palmer, Lewis#ManCity | @HaysWorldwide pic.twitter.com/QFJnvRH9TN
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 1, 2023
Pep Guardiola still has immense quality in his starting XI, and Julian Alvarez has the chance to make himself even more of a hero to the fans at the Etihad Stadium than he is already.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool have also gone with the strongest possible starting XI available, with the possible exception of Darwin Nunez who only makes the bench.
The Reds to take on Manchester City ?#MCILIV
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 1, 2023
Mo Salah is a perennial thorn in Man City’s side, and with Cody Gakpo providing another attacking threat, the hosts’ defence need to remain on alert at all times.
It’s potentially the hardest game that either side will play between now and the end of the season, and a battle royale, per usual, is to be expected.
Game on!