The Citizens versus The Reds

The size of The Stretford Gap is irrelevant going into this game. City must win and must take the game to Liverpool from the first whistle...

Roberto Mancini:
'Liverpool is a strong team. I watched their game against Arsenal. I think it will be a dangerous game on Sunday. If we want to win, we should score. When we get our chances, we should score...No team has ever won the title in January.'

Brendan Rodgers:
'I'm not overly worried. Hopefully people can see that the group is getting better. We should have beaten City earlier in the season. We can go to City and win.'

OUT:
Maicon
Micah Richards
John Guidetti
Vincent Kompany
Yaya Touré - International duty
Kolo Touré - International duty
Abdul Razak- International duty

LATE FITNESS TEST:
Matija Nastasic

Kun is putting in some increasingly robust shifts and it takes a hell of an effort to knock him off the ball right now. All that is missing is the goals. He is due a couple any game now. I expect him to deliver against Liverpool.

OUT:
Martin Kelly
Jon Flanagan
Philippe Coutinho

In the wake of Mario Balotelli's departure from English shores, focus is certain to intensify upon the hack's other remaining foreign Premier League pantomime villain. This correspondent is no fan of the man, but Suarez is a brilliantly talented footballer for which there is no margin for error when defending against.

THE NUMBERS GAME:
The Reds have not scored in their last 3 Premier League games at the Etihad Stadium.

Carlos Tevez has not scored in his last 8 league starts.

Liverpool have the most accurate long ball players in the league, successfully completing 69% of passes that were hit more than 25 yards.

City have kept 4 successive league clean sheets, equalling The Blues longest run of not conceding in the Premier League.

The Reds have not won any of the 8 league games during which they fell behind this season.

Head To Head:
League 75 Liverpool Wins, 39 Draws, 39 City Wins
League Cup 3 Liverpool Wins, 2 Draws, 1 City Win
FA Cup 3 Liverpool Wins, 2 Draws, 2 City Wins
Total: 81 Liverpool Wins, 43Draws, 42 City Wins

THIS COULD BE THE LAST TIME:
Su 26Aug 2012 Liverpool 2 - 2 Man City PL
We 25Jan 2012 Liverpool 2 - 2 Man City CCSF
We 11Jan 2012 Man City 0 - 1 Liverpool CCSF
Tu 03Jan 2012 Man City 3 - 0 Liverpool PL
Su 27Nov 2011 Liverpool 1 - 1 Man City PL

FORM LAST 6 GAMES ALL COMPETITIONS:
Liverpool: WWLWLD
City: WWWWWD

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CLASSIC CITY TUBE: mcfcvideos - Manchester City v Liverpool, 29th October 1977


BETTING: City 5/6 Draw 11/4 Liverpool 16/5 Racing Post Soccerbase

TV COVERAGE: Sky Sports 1 uk/ie & BBC Match Of The Day 2
LiveOnSat.com

Anthony Taylor of Wythenshawe, Manchester 4th Official Andre Marriner -Last Season: Sa 15Oct 2011 Man City 4 - 1 Aston Villa PL -This Season: Has Not Officiated Manchester City -2011/12: 34 Games, 106 Yellows, 8 Reds -2012/2013: 24 Games, 53 Yellows, 5 Reds.

Johnny On The Spot: A significant fixture. The Blues know what they have to do and above all else that is to see sides off when in total control throughout 90 minutes. Chances must be taken against sides there for the taking. City have scored 18 fewer league goals than at this stage last season. I'm critical of late that The Blues are playing too narrowly again and lack the option of directness that can serve as a Plan B, getting in behind massed defences when required. We didn't do enough of that at QPR, but when we did, The R's were severely stretched...Maicon and Richards will be available for selection by the end of the month and the careful introduction of the powerful Guidetti could yet represent a trio of new signings in action this Spring...and so to Liverpool. For Van Persie, read Suarez. Neither the rags nor the scousers would be anywhere near their current league positions without their two brilliant strikers. No margin for error. For Arsenal, read Liverpool. Long gone are the decades where we would see either club turn up in Manchester to give us a footballing lesson. And that's where my prediction comes in. City 2 Liverpool 0

all times East Manchester
Sa 09Feb 17h30 Southampton, St Mary's, PL
Su 17 Feb Leeds United, The Etihad, FAC5
Su 24Feb 13h30 Chelsea, The Etihad, PL
Mo 04Mar 20h00 Aston Villa, Villa Park, PL
Sa 09Mar 15h00 Wigan, The Etihad, PL
Sa 16Mar 12h45 Everton, Goodison Park, PL
Sa 30Mar 15h00 Newcastle, The Etihad, PL

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