Premier League | Gameweek 26

Feb 23, 2025 at 4.30pm UK

Etihad Stadium

Man City vs Liverpool

Match Preview

The dream of a fifth successive league title may be in tatters, barring the most astonishing Premier League comeback the country has ever seen, but Man City can at least try to take Liverpool down with them, and in the process boost their prospects of a customary Champions League qualification.

A top-four finish in the Premier League is now City's only route to Europe's pinnacle after Real Madrid won the latest battle in the long-running war, running out 6-3 winners on aggregate in their knockout round play-off as the mesmerising Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick in the second leg.

An early exit from the Champions League means that City's remaining fixtures will be in the Premier League and FA Cup - as well as this summer's revamped Club World Cup - but Guardiola's men are looking more like their old selves at the top level.

While Mbappe picked up the match ball in midweek, Omar Marmoush went home with one of his own after last weekend's 4-0 thrashing of top-four chasers Newcastle United, a result that has allowed Man City to cling on to fourth place ahead of the 26th round of fixtures.

The Citizens have now won each of their last three Premier League games in front of their own fans - scoring at least three goals on each occasion - and no team in the top flight can improve on their 24.7% conversion rate in 2025, up from a paltry 9.6% between August and December.

Whisper it quietly, but the champions may have caught the challengers off guard at the perfect time, with the first cracks appearing in a previously indestructible Liverpool side if their last four matches are anything to go by.

The Reds' 2-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers was far from convincing, and a trip to Aston Villa in midweek - where they had the chance to move 10 points clear of Arsenal - saw Slot's men held to a 2-2 draw thanks to a deflected Trent Alexander-Arnold strike.

If Arsenal can overcome their London rivals West Ham United as expected, the Gunners will be just five points behind Liverpool on the same number of games before Slot's side take on Man City, who arrive at the Etihad having won just one of their last four matches in all competitions.

The league leaders have also won just two of their last eight away games in all competitions and none of their last three, but that record does not tell the whole story as Slot's men are yet to lose a Premier League away game in 2024-25 and have scored in all 14 of those games so far.

There were also few obstacles for Liverpool to overcome in their comfortable 2-0 home win over Man City earlier in the season, where Guardiola's six-finger gesture was the talk of the town; the same figure also represents the number of times Liverpool have completed the double over the reigning champions, the last time being against Chelsea in 2010-11.

Recent Performance

Manchester City Premier League form:WDWWLW

Manchester City form (all competitions):WLWLWL

Liverpool Premier League form:WWWDWD

Liverpool form (all competitions):WWLDWD

Team News

City talisman Erling Haaland suffered a knee injury in the dying moments of the win over Newcastle, and after being limited to a watching brief at the Bernabeu, Guardiola was unable to guarantee his availability for the weekend.

One man who will definitely not be available is John Stones, who could need surgery on the quadriceps injury he sustained just eight minutes into the midweek defeat at Real Madrid, while Manuel Akanji (thigh), Oscar Bobb (calf) and Rodri (ACL) are still out.

Whether or not Haaland is cleared to play, hat-trick hero Marmoush will be looking to make his mark in the final third, while further back Ederson could become the first goalkeeper to register an assist in three successive Premier League games.

Cody Gakpo, who missed Liverpool's last two Premier League games with a knock, remains a serious doubt for the trip to Man City, while Joe Gomez (thigh) and Tyler Morton (shoulder) are also sidelined.

Slot is also "99.9%" certain that Conor Bradley will miss this one after seemingly tweaking his hamstring in the draw with Villa, but the visitors are otherwise in good shape for this titanic clash, in which Mohamed Salah will be looking to etch his name into yet another page of history.

The electrifying Egyptian has been directly involved in 13 Premier League goals against Man City - eight of his own and five assists - and only Steven Gerrard (14) has been more involved against the Citizens in the competition.

Possible starting lineup

Manchester City possible starting lineup:

Ederson; Lewis, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol; Gonzalez; Savinho, Silva, Foden, Marmoush; Haaland

Liverpool possible starting lineup:

Alisson; Alexander-Arnold; Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Jota