…a totally different affair to last Tuesday’s game against Atletico Madrid.
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| Etihad Stadium |
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:
(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game: 9/11).
Fluid 4-1-5-0 / 4-6-0 / 4-3-3:
______________________________________________
Grealish_________________________________Sterling
_____________________Foden____________________
_________De Bruyne______________Silva__________
______________________Rodri____________________
Cancelo__________________________________Walker
___________Laporte_____________Stones__________
_____________________Ederson__________________
Subs: Steffen, Ake, Mbete, Fernandinho, Gundogan, McAtee, Mahrez, Jesus, Delap.
Ederson in net.
Unless our manager springs a surprise, it’s highly likely that our back-4 will consist of Joao, Aymeric, John & Kyle.
Rodders is the deeper-lying midfielder whilst ahead of him is our usual, fluid, interchangeable 5 that I can see being made up of Jack, Kevin, Phil, Bernardo & Raheem.
Zack is the reserve keeper; Nathan & Luke are the back-up defenders on the side. Fernandinho, Ilkay, James, Riyad, Gabriel & Liam make up the midfielder / wing / attackers in ‘the 9’.
Notable absences:
- Ruben Dias – As reported and expected, the Portuguese international central defender is still out injured with a hamstring issue.
- Cole Palmer – Is having problems recovering from a foot injury he sustained back in January. The young, Mancunian attacker continues to be monitored and season-ending surgery is one option that the medical staff are, presumably, still considering.
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
Mostly, but I’d tweak that ever so slightly and go with…
A fluid 4-1-5-0 / 4-2-4-0 / 4-1-1-4-0:
_____________________________________________
Foden_________________________________Sterling
_________De Bruyne_____________Silva__________
____________________Gundogan________________
______________________Rodri___________________
Cancelo_________________________________Walker
____________Laporte___________Stones__________
_____________________Ederson__________________
Subs: Steffen, Ake, Mbete, Fernandinho, McAtee, Grealish, Mahrez, Jesus, Delap.
First of all, going with Ilkay in the middle would see us increase our capability of-having even MORE possession of the ball than usual – the more we have it, the less chance of them doing damage to us. I also think having the German international 'in there' in a kind of dual attacking-creative & defensive role would give us a little extra security when needed.
Raheem Sterling rarely or never has a good game against his former employers…but I’ve just got a sneaky feeling that he might be handed the right-sided attacking position tomorrow afternoon and I would agree with that move. He’s had a couple of appearances on that side in recent weeks and he’s done well there / appears to enjoy it; he looks to have more freedom of movement attacking from a different angle.
We need all of our ‘big guns’ starting tomorrow and, so, whilst that includes Kevin & Bernardo; that must also include Phil. We need his pace & aggression to get at / counter Liverpool; there’s no room for slower, Jack Grealish-like build-ups in this encounter.
Result? For me, this is a ‘must not lose game’. That’s not to say that we should do something Pep would NEVER dream of, which is to ‘sit in’ and soak up Liverpool’s attack in the hope of hitting them on the break and / or “just hoping to share the points”. No way!
But what I am suggesting is that a draw wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing for us, as it would leave Liverpool still-trailing by a point and, therefore, our fate would remain in our own hands; as close and as-still-nervy as that would leave it. I don’t think Liverpool would see a draw as a good thing; although some people do say that it’s better to be the chaser than the chased.
If that’s shocked you a little then I’m possibly about to shock you once again – I believe Liverpool have a more-dangerous, all-round attack than we do at the moment; a situation that may change next season with the incoming Julian Alvarez and possibly A.N. Other joining us in the summer.
Whenever you reel the names off in the Liverpool side of attacking midfielders, wingers & forwards it’s a frightening list of talent! Of course, we have our many threats too – it’s not by pure luck that we’ve only scored 7 less than our visitors in the league so far this season. But I think it’s the sheer number of fast-attacking, creative & goalscoring players they have in their side…PLUS the pace at which they go at the opposition as a pack.
As I’ve already alluded to, what a vastly-different game this is going to be to the ‘two banks of five’ we faced against Atletico Madrid!
However, I was slightly surprised to see that The Reds have only conceded 2 more than we have in the league because, as excellent as I think they are; I always get the feeling that they look a little more vulnerable towards their rearguard than we do. Just as we have done in some games since the turn of the year, they too have come away with all-3 points having not played particularly well on occasions. What I’m trying to say is, for all the high praise that I’ve thrown at them; they’re not ‘all powerful’ and can be ‘got at’ if you’re on your ‘A game’.
It's a tense, sort of derby affair with so much riding on it and, therefore, it’s so hard to judge how things are going to work out in the end.
I must admit that I do go into this match fairly confident but, on the other side of the coin, I see how difficult-a-task lies ahead...for both sides of course.
Therefore, I’m going ‘straight down the line’ and predicting a draw on Sunday late afternoon. If that turns out to be the case, then it’s ‘status quo’ and, for us, moving on to Brighton & Hove Albion at home in the league to continue our battle to keep ahead of our one & only title rival…
Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result…
Prediction: Draw
Result: Draw
(Pre-match blog posting from that game)
Expected weather conditions during the game: Nice. As the game kicks off (4:30pm BST) any sun from behind some light cloud should still be visible low in the sky and the 11C pre-match temperature is forecasted to hold throughout the match as day to turns to evening; assisted by a light, southerly-direction breeze. Dry & perfect conditions for all.
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| Solidarity |
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