City will be hungry to get back to winning ways, after losing out on three points against Mauricio Pochettino’s Paris Saint-Germain side earlier this week.
Pep Guardiola’s men dominated the game and were evidently the better side but failing to finish crucial chances meant that City couldn’t get the result they deserved on Tuesday night in Paris.
However, having performed exceptionally well in their last two games against arguably the two toughest sides to face at present, this Manchester City team will be in search of blood and will be determined to get all three points against current league leaders Liverpool when they travel to Merseyside on matchday seven.
Having broken their 18-year-old Anfield curse with an emphatic 4-1 victory earlier this year, Manchester City will go into this fixture free of shackles as they look to defend the Premier League title once again.
Liverpool meanwhile have started their season strongly and look like their 2019/20 title-winning selves, following a difficult and injury-plagued campaign last year. They are currently at the top of the table with 14 points from six games and are unbeaten in the league so far.
Ahead of matchday seven of the Premier League, here is how we expect Manchester City to line up against Liverpool this Sunday.
Ederson, who has kept five clean sheets in six Premier League fixtures so far this season, makes his 201st start for Manchester City against Liverpool on Sunday.
In defence, Kyle Walker - who was once again exceptional against Paris Saint-Germain’s electric attack - will start at right-back to cover Liverpool’s high energy front line.
Ruben Dias will most definitely start against the Merseyside team and go head-to-head against his direct competitor Virgil Van Dijk for the first time since coming to England.
Aymeric Laporte looks set to start alongside Dias once again, after successfully clawing his way back into Pep Guardiola’s defence this season. The Spain international has made a brilliant comeback into the City side, after being dethroned by John Stones last season - meaning the Englishman will have to wait for his turn for now.
Joao Cancelo is once again likely to start on the left side of City’s defence in the absence of Oleksandr Zinchenko due to a muscle injury. The Portugal international has been sensational and will look to be dominant in the absence of Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, but nevertheless faces a tough fight against Mohamed Salah.
Rodrigo will make his third consecutive start since coming back from injury. The Spaniard was a stand-out performer against Chelsea and PSG, and Pep Guardiola will hope for a similar outing from his trusted regista at Anfield.
The exceptionally versatile Bernardo Silva will reprise his hybrid role at the right side of Manchester City’s midfield, while staying deep to partner Rodrigo in the defensive midfield, forming a double pivot ahead of the back four off the ball.
We expect Manchester City to play the same system as against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last weekend, with Kevin De Bruyne sitting just behind the false nine in a traditional central attacking midfielder’s role.
Phil Foden, who was the star in Manchester City’s 4-1 thumping of Liverpool last season providing a goal and an assist, is likely to start this game as a false nine in his 130th senior appearance for the club.
Manchester City’s Player of the Month for August Gabriel Jesus, who is enjoying the best start to a season in Sky Blue, will return to the right-wing with his exceptional energy for this pulsating fixture.
Jack Grealish will straight away want to get back to his burning hot form after having a bad day at the office in Paris. The Englishman will surely be eager to prove a point on Sunday and looks set to start on the left wing.
Substitutes: Zack Steffen, Nathan Ake, John Stones, Josh Wilson-Esbrand, Fernandinho, Romeo Lavia, Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez, Ferran Torres.
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