Marmoush or Haaland? Man City's Star Striker Dilemma Rocks Liverpool Showdown as Injury Crisis Looms
Manchester City are looking for just their second win at Anfield in more than twenty years when they visit Liverpool this Sunday.
Their 4–1 victory during the pandemic in 2021 marked their only success at the venue since May 2003, but Pep Guardiola's team urgently requires maximum points this weekend. Sitting six points behind Premier League frontrunners Arsenal before Gameweek 25, they cannot afford any more mistakes in their title chase.
Following last weekend's breakdown at Tottenham Hotspur, City bounced back to form in midweek, defeating Newcastle United to secure their spot in the Carabao Cup final. However, the trip to Anfield presents a completely different challenge.
Match Snapshot
Match Snapshot
Team News
Team News
The encouraging injury update for City is that Rúben Dias is back available in central defense and John Stones has recently rejoined team training following an extended layoff. The England defender is expected to be gradually reintegrated, however.
Questions persist regarding Bernardo Silva's fitness, who sustained an injury last weekend in north London and was absent for the Newcastle match, while Savinho, Jérémy Doku, Joško Gvardiol and Mateo Kovačić remain unavailable.
Marc Guéhi is eligible to play having been cup-tied on Wednesday evening and Guardiola has expressed some uncertainty about Erling Haaland's starting position following Omar Marmoush's strong recent performances, acknowledging he's unsure whether the Norwegian will spearhead the attack.
Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Liverpool (4-1-4-1)
Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Liverpool (4-1-4-1)
GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma—The Italian goalkeeper couldn't stop Dominic Solanke's brilliant scorpion kick last weekend—he'll be hoping Liverpool's attacking players don't produce similar brilliance.
RB: Matheus Nunes—A duel with Cody Gakpo awaits Nunes, who will back himself to contain the underperforming Dutchman. The forward runs of Milos Kerkez also demand careful monitoring from the Portuguese defender.
CB: Abdukodir Khusanov—Dias returned to the substitutes' bench midweek but Guardiola may be careful with his comeback after a month away from action.
CB: Marc Guéhi—Guéhi had an inconsistent performance at Spurs last weekend and faces pressure to perform at Anfield after his unsuccessful transfer to Liverpool last summer.
LB: Nico O'Reilly—A matchup with Mohamed Salah has rarely gone well for City left-backs historically but O'Reilly's energetic approach might be the ideal solution for the struggling Egyptian.
DM: Rodri—Rodri was lucky to avoid a red card for the second time in four games, somehow escaping a second yellow against Spurs. The Spanish midfielder is still performing below his Ballon d'Or-winning level.
RM: Antoine Semenyo—Semenyo troubled Liverpool and former teammate Kerkez in August during Bournemouth's Anfield loss—his present form indicates he could do so again.
CM: Tijjani Reijnders—Reijnders delivered a strong performance against Newcastle and Guardiola might rely on the Dutchman to provide additional stability in midfield.
CM: Phil Foden—With Silva's participation in serious doubt for the Liverpool trip, Foden may start in a central position. Although the Englishman is working to regain his best form, he has found the net twice at Anfield before.
LM: Rayan Cherki—The adaptable Frenchman keeps impressing in sky blue and will be considered a significant danger by Liverpool's backline.
ST: Erling Haaland—Marmoush's performances and Haaland's limited output since New Year do create possibilities for changes up front, but the Norwegian should maintain Guardiola's confidence—the City manager calling him the "best in the world" on Friday.