Text here to move the logos across. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Hello and welcome to the official match thread for Sunday’s Barclays Premier League encounter between Liverpool & Manchester City. The game is scheduled to be played at Anfield on Sunday the 26th of August 2012. It is to be shown on Sky Sports One and BBC Radio Five Live have the radio rights to the game. Preview. The second gameweek of the Premier League season is upon us and on Sunday, Manchester City travel to Anfield to take on Liverpool. It might be very early on in the season but those all important points are at stake and both sides will be fighting hard to get the three points. Let’s have a look at both sides in detail and study their chances of victory. We shall begin with the home side, Liverpool. Liverpool didn’t get off to the best of starts in their first game. In the first half, they were looking not too bad but just before the end of the half; Zoltan Gera hit an absolute screamer to put West Brom 1-0 up. Everything went wrong from there onwards with one sending off, two penalties given away and two more goals conceded. Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. A 3-0 loss away from home certainly wasn’t the start Brendan Rodgers or the supporters wanted. Especially with the games Liverpool have to face in the coming weeks. The likes of Arsenal, Sunderland & Manchester United come along in the next few weeks. However, it’s not all negative. If you look to last season, you will note improved performances & results against the so called ‘bigger’ sides. A point was gained in this fixture last season, a hard-fought draw against Manchester United at home, the double being completed over Chelsea and a first away win in 11 years was gained against Arsenal. So you could make the conclusion that Liverpool raises their performance in the games against sides battling at the top of the league. Let’s now have a look at team news and likely teams/formations. Now, Liverpool were in Edinburgh on Thursday to take on Hearts in the Europa League play-off round. It was a hard-fought 1-0 victory and some of the fringe/younger players were given an opportunity to impress. Some of Liverpool’s key players were rested for this game and are likely to come back into contention for Sunday’s game. Glen Johnson, Martin Skrtel, Steven Gerrard & Luis Suarez were all left behind and would be expected to enter the starting 11. In defence, there are a few issues for Rodgers to consider. Pepe Reina will continue in goal and it would be likely that Glen Johnson would enter at right-back. In the centre-back position, things become more difficult to predict. Daniel Agger is suspended after being sent off in Liverpool’s opening Premier League game against West Brom. It is therefore unclear as to who would fill in for Agger beside Martin Skrtel. It would seem to be a battle between the more experienced Jamie Carragher & the Uruguayan defender Sebastian Coates. At left-back, Jose Enrique is expected to return from a hamstring injury which has kept him out of the team recently. In midfield, Rodgers would be expected to line up with three in the middle and I would suspect that the three would be: Gerrard - Lucas - Allen This gives Liverpool some defensive solidity in Lucas and with Joe Allen, the ball will be kept moving due to Allen’s excellent passing abilities. Steven Gerrard would be able to push further forward at times to help the front three create chances. In attack, it becomes slightly more difficult to predict. In the first game of the season, Rodgers played a front three of: Downing - Suarez - Borini but things could be changed around for this game. Andy Carroll has performed well against Manchester City in recent meetings and that means he could be considered for the centre position. That could mean a front three of: Downing - Carroll - Suarez New signing Oussama Assaidi and youngster Raheem Sterling, who impressed with his performance against Hearts on Thursday, could get match time off the bench. Let’s move onto Manchester City and have an in-depth look at their chances of leaving Anfield with three points tomorrow. After winning the Premier League title in the dying moments of last season, it has been a quiet summer for Manchester City. The club has focused more on outgoings than incomings with 8 players leaving and just the one coming in so far. That one is midfielder Jack Rodwell who came in from Everton for around £12M. Roberto Mancini has spoken about the lack of transfer activity in recent weeks and has confirmed that he wants to bring in more players but this seems dependent on outgoings. City kicked off the defense of their league title with a hard-fought 3-2 win over newcomers Southampton. City had taken the lead but halfway through the second half, Southampton got a quick fire double to put themselves 2-1 up. However, City’s quality showed in the end and they came back to win 3-2. Despite the victory, there were below par in parts of the game and that will of concern to Mancini. Mancini did say that he felt the side ‘wasn’t 100%’ and that they ‘missed 5 or 6 good chances’ and that will be concerning for Mancini. Now, let’s look at the team news for Manchester City and their likely set-up. The big news from the City squad is the absence of Sergio Aguero. The striker picked up a knee injury in the early stages of the opening game with Southampton and is expected to be out for around four weeks. In defence, it would be expected to stay the same with Hart in goal and a back four of: Zabaleta - Kompany - Lescott - Clichy With Micah Richards out of this game due to an ankle/foot injury, this is the best defence that City can put out and it is clearly a strong unit at the back. In midfield, it all depends on what Mancini wants to do. If he wants to go more defensive, he could bring in James Milner on the left-hand side to help with the defensive side on that area of the pitch. He could also bring in Nigel De Jong to be more defensive & tenacious in the middle of the park. On the other hand, Mancini might look at the Liverpool defence, weakened due to Daniel Agger’s suspension, and decide to be more attacking. Against Southampton, Mancini played a midfield of: Silva - Rodwell - Yaya Toure - Nasri This gave City lots of attacking options and support to the forward players. I would think that Mancini would stick with the midfield he played against Southampton. It allows attacking players with goals in their game to play and help support the forward line. Up-front, there are some issues to contend with. As I have already mentioned, Sérgio Aguero is out of tomorrow’s game so a reshuffle is expected. When Aguero went off injured, Edin Dzeko came on in his place and was able to score midway through the second half to get Manchester City back on level terms. After his goalscoring performance against Southampton, it is expected that Dzeko comes in alongside Carlos Tevez. This gives City a very dangerous frontline and the Liverpool defence will need to play very well to keep them quiet. To conclude, another interesting game in prospect. City will go into the game as favourites and are expected to leave Anfield with the three points. However, Liverpool got a point in this fixture last season and performed well. Rodgers will be looking for a response and if City aren’t at their best, Liverpool could get something out of the game. Injury/Team News. Liverpool. Jose Enrique: Knee Injury.* Joe Cole: Hamstring Injury. Andy Carroll: Hamstring Injury.* Liverpool defender Daniel Agger is suspended for Sunday's game after being sent off against West Bromwich Albion. Manchester City. Micah Richards: Ankle/Foot Injury. Gareth Barry: Inguinal Hernia. Sergio Aguero: Knee Injury. - *These players will undergo a late fitness test to determine their availability for this game. Liverpool 2- 2 Manchester City Goalscorers: Liverpool... Martin Skrtel: 34th minute. Manchester City... Yaya Toure: 63rd minute. Liverpool... Luis Suarez: 66th minute. Manchester City... Carlos Tevez: 80th minute. Liverpool: Reina - Johnson Coates Skrtel Enrique - Allen Shelvey Gerrard - Suarez Carroll Sterling SUBS: Jones Kelly Carragher Henderson Lucas Downing Borini - Liverpool Substitution: Lucas Leiva comes off to be replaced by Jonjo Shelvey: 5th minute. Liverpool Substitution: Martin Kelly comes off to be replaced by Jose Enrique: 66th minute. Liverpool Substitution: Fabio Borini comes off to be replaced by Andy Carroll: 83rd minute. - Manchester City: Hart - Zabaleta Kompany K.Toure - Silva Rodwell De Jong Yaya Toure Kolarov - Dzeko Tevez SUBS: Pantilimon Lescott Savic Milner Nasri Razak Balotelli - Manchester City Substitution: Samir Nasri comes off to be replaced by Jack Rodwell: 59th minute. Manchester City Substitution: Mario Balotelli comes off to be replaced by Edin Dzeko: 62nd minute. Manchester City Substitution: James Milner comes off to be replaced by David Silva: 76th minute. - YNWA.
That was the score of the Carling Cup semi-final second leg from last season. That part of the match thread, in which I put the final score and the teams, is copied from the match threads I did last season as it's easier than setting that feature up on every match thread. Didn't notice it said 2-2 until I posted the thread. Thought nobody would notice as I changed it rather quickly but clearly not quick enough!
Thought you did what I mentioned in my pm then. Good thread as always, I actually read this one. Can maybe see Johnson at lb again if Enricky is still out.
Here are some pictures from training! please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
Great match day thread as ever Chris. Unfortunately, I can't see past a win for City, which will leave us bottom of the table with nil point
Would never have City as favourites at Anfield,seen us battered too many times and the only times I can remember City winning there is when Anelka scored a couple years back and kevin reeves did the same I think on Boxing day in the eighties. Both games at Anfield last season were tight affairs which resulted in draws and I think today's game could well be the same. As for our formation we are just as likely to set up with 3 at the back like we did at villa park against Chelsea which would be something like this ------------------Hart-------------------- -------Zabaleta-Kompany-Lescott------ Milner-----------Rodwell--------Clichy- --------Nasri-----yaya-------silva------- -------------------Tevez------------------ This would have yaya Nasri & silva interchanging as runners in behind Tevez hopefully leaving a CB isolated and being brought deeper.Lucas will be key to how Liverpool cope with an attacking yaya Won't be able to comment on the thread as I'll be at the match but will comment after with a view from the other side
If Stewart Downing starts then I might have to kill myself. It'll be less painful than watching him do sod all
I can see Tevez having a field day with the lack of Agger today. Having watched us against Hearts as well this insistence on passing the ball out from the keeper EVERY time will have Tevez and Yaya drooling at the prospect of closing down our back four early. Don't know if you're hanging around after the game but the Mathew St Festival's on in town always good for a quality piss up.
I predict us to missed loads of chances i nthe first 20mins then go off the boil and then conceed as per. City have a lot of players quick men can get at, I'm not that impressed by thier line up frankly and we can do them over but we need to actually play... will we play for 90mins
Quietly optimistic today, I like us being the underdogs and hopefully that can play in our favor, this City team isn't unbeatable and we're more than capable of beating them. I actually see it being quite an open game and it should be a good game for the neutrals (and hopefully us). I'm gonna stick my neck out and go for a 2-1 win to us, Suarez and Skrtel with the goals and Tevez to score from a wayward pass by one of our midfielders.
Really hope you play 3 at the back, cos I think its really bad formation against 433 in a paper,scissors,stone kinda way.Mind you I could be wrong.I just think 3 CBs marking our 1 thru the middle striker doesnt work well for the team playin 3 at the back
If we're going to win, we're going have to play for 90 minutes and we're going to have to score first. I dread the thought of us chasing the game against City, they will pick us off at will. I predict a 2-0 score-line to whoever scores first
city won't play that formation. it'll be 4-3-3... unimpressing with rodwell and milnet as thier midfielder to allow yaya to really play. Nasri i LOVE to see as all he does is either hang round on the left wing and then run in field laterally before passing it backwards.... Silva, tevez and yaya are thier really class players (hart and kompany too obviously but they are defensive) We have enough if our top side plays to cause them some trouble but unfortunately if we put in carragher and then put johnson left full we are weaker, then i worry about gerrard in midfield and if we can really line up the way we need to. Assaidi could play for all i know, we'll see. Reina kelly carra skertl johnson gerrard lucas allen downing suarez borini that won't win this game. Reina johnson skertl agger enrique sahn lucas allen gerrard borini suarez just might give city a rude awakening......
Sahin can't play, he would have needed to be registered before noon yesterday and he wasn't. He's going to be at the game and has a better chance of making the squad for both the Hearts and Arsenal games at home in the next week.