Reigning Premier League master Manchester City will host league leader Liverpool on Sunday and look for victory that can restore their season, but perhaps without their most important player.
The striker Erling Haaland has 19 league goals this season, but he may not be healthy in time to try to add his total.
Haaland, who suffered a knee injury late in City’s 4-0 victory over Newcastle United last weekend, already missed the team’s 3-1 loss on Real Madrid on Wednesday in the second stage of their UEFA Champions League Knockout series. Manager Pep Guardiola, however, did not completely exclude the Norwegian marker.
“Don’t know yet. (Saturday) we know,” said Guardiola Friday. “It’s better to have Erling on the pitch. … Everyone is responsible for the good things and bad things for the team, but obviously with Erling we are better.”
Anyway, Manchester City (13-7-5, 44 points) adds some important reinforcements under the winter window, especially Omar Marmoush, who got a hat trick during the first half of the Newcastle victory.
And while a miracle wave to catch Liverpool (18-1-7, 61 points) is unlikely, it would not be completely impossible with a win that would reduce the gap to 14 points and held a match in his hand.
After getting a village for the UCL round of 16, Liverpool spent its mid-week and fought to a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa in a fixture re-planned from March 15 due to Red’s driving to the Carabao Cup final.
Mohamed Salah opened the point with his 24th goal to reach his highest league in total since registering 32 during his debut Premier League campaign 2017-18. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s 61th minute-tally-knocked business for good.
But a baking guard who started the season on such a Stalwart way under first-year manager Arne Slot has now admitted five goals in the last three matches while satisfied himself with only five points in this interval.
Slot is also well aware that this version of City is much improved from the one as the red defeated 2-0 in early December.
“I can see them come back already if you look at the results against Newcastle,” Slot said. “So what you expect is what everyone expects if you go to Etihad (Stadion) if you play against City. You also have to be hit and work really hard to keep them away from your goal because they are so good in the ball holding.
-Field level media
