Man City vs. Liverpool: Four Epic Showdowns That Will Determine This Title-Defining Battle
The two powerhouses that have controlled English football throughout the last eight Premier League campaigns clash on Sunday.
Encounters between Manchester City and Liverpool frequently carry direct implications for the Premier League championship battle, though circumstances differ this time around. Arsenal's early-season dominance means both clubs are merely striving to maintain contact with Mikel Arteta's squad.
At minimum, one team will surrender points this weekend, and Sunday's defeated side—should there be one—will find themselves teetering on the edge entering the November international pause.
The pressure mounts as two talent-laden teams battle at the Etihad Stadium, featuring numerous captivating individual matchups throughout the field. Here are four encounters that could determine the outcome.
Erling Haaland vs. Ibrahima Konaté
Just two clubs have managed to silence Erling Haaland this campaign. Both Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa succeeded in containing the unstoppable Norwegian, who reached 27 goals across all competitions during City's 4–1 triumph against his previous team Borussia Dortmund in midweek. In both matches where he failed to score, City also struggled to find the net.
Neutralizing Haaland represents the pathway to victory against the Citizens, though containing him presents a thankless task. The 25-year-old's combination of strength, physical prowess and relentless reliability when opportunities arise to penetrate the opposing defense make him virtually impossible to stop.
Considering Liverpool's defensive vulnerabilities this season, worries persist that Haaland's excellent run will extend on Sunday. The Reds have strengthened their backline in recent fixtures, securing consecutive shutouts in victories over Villa and Real Madrid, though significant improvement remains necessary before earning recognition as defensively solid.
Haaland will seek to exploit the vulnerable component in Liverpool's central defensive pairing: Ibrahima Konaté. The French defender has disappointed for much of this season despite improved showings since the October international window, especially struggling against direct and aggressive strikers. This presents difficulties against City's Scandinavian giant.
Should Konaté maintain his composure, Liverpool possess an opportunity. If the defender reverts to problematic tendencies, it may prove a challenging afternoon.
Jérémy Doku vs. Conor Bradley
Conor Bradley demonstrated his enormous potential during the victory against Madrid in midweek. Having contained Kylian Mbappé last season, the Northern Ireland defender successfully neutralized Vinícius Júnior in a rematch of last term's Champions League encounter with Los Blancos.
The fullback, who will be a guaranteed starter on Sunday due to Jeremie Frimpong's absence, delivered a confident and aggressive performance to frustrate Madrid's Brazilian winger, though he cannot afford to become complacent at the Etihad.
Bradley faces one of the Premier League's most dangerous wingers in Jérémy Doku, whose final product is finally matching his incredible pace and nimbleness in attack. He has terrorized defenders throughout the season, delivering another brilliant performance against Dortmund where he registered an assist while repeatedly embarrassing Julian Ryerson.
Doku, who frequently outplayed former Liverpool fullback Trent Alexander-Arnold, hopes his fearless style can trouble Bradley. The defender tends to collect unnecessary bookings and continues developing his skills against the globe's most explosive wide players.
Bradley's Tuesday evening performance demonstrates his capability to prevent Doku from causing destruction this weekend. Whether he can replicate his excellence remains uncertain.
Nico González vs. Dominik Szoboszlai
No player holds greater significance to Liverpool's resurgence than Dominik Szoboszlai. Even throughout their catastrophic recent losing run, the Hungarian midfielder performed with honor and excellence, though was let down by teammates in red. He has been essential to the Reds recapturing their rhythm.
Szoboszlai, whether deployed as fullback, holding midfielder or attacking midfielder, has begun and completed all ten of Liverpool's Premier League fixtures this campaign. His tireless work rate, reliable performances and creative capabilities have been fundamental for Arne Slot's team, who will depend on him to deliver another outstanding complete display in the advanced midfield role on Sunday.
Szoboszlai, who found the net and provided an assist in this identical matchup last season, will welcome avoiding a confrontation with Rodri at the Etihad, as the Spanish anchor appears almost certain to miss the contest. Nevertheless, his City counterpart Nico González will still present a considerable obstacle to navigate.
González has been in excellent form lately, shining in wins over Bournemouth and Dortmund despite not necessarily grabbing attention. The holding midfielder shouldn't be making headlines, instead maintaining rhythm in the middle by winning back possession and distributing effectively.
The 23-year-old lacks elite speed or physical attributes as a defensive midfielder, however, with Szoboszlai's athleticism potentially proving decisive this Sunday.
Matheus Nunes vs. Cody Gakpo
Matheus Nunes has undoubtedly developed as a fullback since Pep Guardiola repositioned him, yet the feeling persists that he represents the vulnerable spot in this City squad. The natural midfielder has committed significant mistakes on major occasions previously—most memorably at home against Manchester United last season—and will be eager to avoid such blunders on Sunday.
Nunes' opponent will probably be Cody Gakpo. The Dutch forward was dropped from the starting eleven for Florian Wirtz against Madrid, and while the £116 million summer acquisition performed brilliantly, the effort he invested in victory might see him demoted to the bench as an impact player.
Gakpo has been in generally impressive form this season despite failing to score in his previous two starts. He has registered seven goal contributions for Liverpool and managed six goals across six matches for club and country during October. His capacity to cut inside and shoot toward the far post serves as a valuable tool in Liverpool's attacking options.
With pressure mounting on Gakpo to deliver following Wirtz's midweek showing, one anticipates a response from the winger after several lackluster performances. He certainly possesses the ability to overcome Nunes theoretically, though translating that advantage into practice will truly test his qualifications for a regular starting position going forward.