Liverpool v Man City predicted line-ups: Expected XIs, team news and Konate injury update
Liverpool and Manchester City go head-to-head at Anfield on Sunday in a key clash in the Premier League title race.
Liverpool vs Manchester City team news
Arne Slot has confirmed Trent Alexander-Arnold is ready to return to the starting line-up this weekend, which is good timing with Conor Bradley now a major doubt after coming off injured against Real Madrid. Kostas Tsimikas is still out, while Diogo Jota, Alisson Becker and Federico Chiesa are touch and go as they work back from injuries.
Most damaging for Liverpool is the potential absence of Ibrahima Konate. Slot said on Friday that the centre-back is ‘still being assessed’ after limping off at the end of the win over Real Madrid.
However, there are reports he could miss the whole of December and the centre-back’s comments on social media don’t inspire much confidence for this weekend.
“So frustrating to pick up this injury right at the end of a great game on Wednesday night,” Konate’s Instagram post read.
“Now we start the recovery process but one thing I promise is I will come back and be the best I can be once again. Thank you for the amazing support at Anfield. Inshallah we will keep going and I will support the team every step of the way.”
As for Manchester City, the long-term absence of Rodri continues to devastate them, while Oscar Bobb is also a long-term injury issue. Mateo Kovacic and John Stones are highly likely to miss this match, but Jeremy Doku will, at least, be able to feature in some way or another.
Konate absence a major blow for Liverpool
Given the contrasting form between these two sides, Liverpool are massive favourites on Sunday. However, this is still a City team containing the likes of Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva and Savinho. An animal is often most dangerous when wounded and Guardiola will surely be expecting a reaction from his players soon. What better game to bring it than this one?
That’s why Liverpool supporters — and Slot — will be absolutely gutted to see Konate pick up an injury against Real Madrid.
Konate has long been an important player for Liverpool, if not with a slight tendency for mistakes. But this season, he’s become a rock at the back. In fact, across Premier League and Champions League play combined, he sits in the top three among Liverpool players for headed clearances (1st), clearances (2nd), aerial duels won (2nd), possessions won in the defensive third (2nd) and interceptions (3rd), while he’s fourth for tackles and has popped up with two goals at the other end.
“He is a fantastic player who still can be better,” Virgil van Dijk said of Konate earlier this season, adding: “The qualities he has are outstanding in my opinion. He is learning, growing, getting better and looking after himself much better in order to be ready every three days as that’s what asked.”
Luckily for Liverpool, they have arguably the best pair of back-up centre-backs in Europe right now in Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez, so hopefully, Konate won’t be missed too much.
However, the Frenchman has emerged as a real leader under Arne Slot and of all the games you wouldn’t want him to miss, it’s this one.
Liverpool vs Manchester City predicted lineups
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Jones, Gakpo; Diaz.
Man City (4-3-3): Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Lewis, Gundogan, Silva; Foden, Haaland, Savinho.
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Can Reds take a huge early step toward the title?
Manchester City have won six of the last seven Premier League titles, including the last four, with their dominance of the English game in recent years bordering on boring. But it looks almost certain that they’ll be dethroned this season as they endure an unprecedented run of six games without a win — including a sequence of five straight defeats only ended by a 3-3 draw against Feyenoord in which they conceded three goals in the final 15 minutes to blow a 3-0 lead.
Three of those defeats have come in the Premier League, with City going down to Bournemouth (2-1), Brighton (2-1) and, most heavily, Tottenham (4-0). Pep Guardiola’s men are already eight points behind Liverpool and another loss at Anfield on Sunday would spell the end of their title defence, according to Ilkay Gundogan.
“To stay in the title race probably yes, because 11 points would be a huge gap,” he responded when asked after the Feyenoord match if City must not lose on Sunday.
By contrast, things couldn’t be much better for Liverpool. Arne Slot has enjoyed a stunning start to life in charge of the Reds, picking up 17 wins from his first 19 games in charge, with just one draw and one defeat. Liverpool are also enjoying another six-game winning streak, most recently beating European champions Real Madrid 2-0 at home.
It’s still early days and anything can happen throughout the course of a season, but supporters will surely now be dreaming of what is possible on the red half of Merseyside.
