LIVERPOOL VS. MANCHESTER CITY
| Sunday, October 11th |
Premier League | Anfield
4:30PM BST/11:30AM EST
Sometimes the football gods have a sense of humour — or maybe just a messy love for drama. After the earth shaking guilty verdict brought down against Manchester City that dominated headlines over the international break, it’s quite poetic that their next game is against Liverpool. Liverpool, who have been their biggest rivals over the past decade, matching them point for point, and trophy for trophy, without committing financial
malfeasance to the tune of nearly £1b.
If any fans have the right to be filled with righteous indignation, it’s the Liverpool fans welcoming City into their home on Sunday.
Prior to the international break, Manchester City under Enzo Maresco have enjoyed a perfect start to the season. Five wins in five league games, as well as victories in the Champions League and Carabao Cup, have made them the team to beat in the opening part of this season.
Liverpool are undefeated in the Premier League as well, but three draws in those five have left them trailing Manchester City. Though blood will be up, the Reds will have to find a way to compensate for missing both Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo, both of whom suffered injuries during the international break. Add to the mix the still recovering Hugo Ekitike, and manager Andoni Iraola is looking at a serious questioning of his front line.
Predicted Liverpool Lineup (4-2-3-1)
Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Ngumoha, Wirtz, Munoz; Barcola
Jeremy Jacquet should be available for this match, despite earlier injury concerns. Otherwise, aside from the aforementioned Ekitike, Gakpo, and Isak, Liverpool will be without Conor Bradley and Federico Chiesa.
For Manchester City, Erling Haaland had a scare while playing for Norway, but Maresco said that he will be fit. Phil Foden is finishing up his three-game suspension.
The Managers Have Their Say
Andoni Iraola: “From “The challenge and difficulty of the game is so high that players don’t think too much outside of this. They are thinking: ‘I have to mark this player, I have to deal with this one, I have to be at this level.’ They are focused on those things. Obviously they will have their own opinions but I think they will be fully focused on what happens on the pitch.”
Enzo Maresco: “It will be a tough game for sure, a tough test, as you’ve said. We need to be ready. The focus has to be about the game but we also know the environment at Anfield is nice and it will probably be even worse because of the situation. Again, it’s our duty to do our best and win the game.”
The Officials
Referee: Chris Kavanagh. Assistant Referee #1: Dan Cook. Assistant Referee #2: Nick Greenhalgh. Fourth Official: Andy Madley. VAR: Paul Howard. VAR Assistant: Nicholas Hopton
If you haven’t done so already, we’d love if you signed up for an SB Nation account and join the community at TLO. We’ll bring you and your fellow Liverpool fans from around the world full coverage of every match from the 2025-26 season in the Premier League, Champions League, and domestic cups along getting you breaking news, insight and opinion, ta
