Blue chews-daze: A foothold opportunity

Win at their place, which is a very tough task indeed of course, and we set ourselves up to ‘push on’ for league glory once again.

v Liverpool

Anfield

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game which, for me blog-wise, was in the Manchester v Trafford derby: 10/11).

A very fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:

____________________Haaland____________________

___Alvarez______________________________Silva___

_________De Bruyne____________Foden___________

_____________________Rodri_____________________

Ake______________________________________Walker

_____________Dias_____________Stones____________

____________________Ederson_____________________

Subs: Ortega, Gomez, Lewis, Akanji, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Nunes, Bobb & Doku.

Ederson in goal.

A back-4, I’m going for Nathan, Ruben, John & Kyle.

Rodders just in front of those.

I see an attacking quartet of Julian on the left, Kevin & Phil in the middle and Bernardo on the right; all of whom are very interchangeable of course.

Erling ‘up front’.

Stefan provides keeper insurance, while Sergio, Rico, Manuel & Josko are the defenders on the side. Mateo, Matheus, Oscar & Jeremy are the midfielders / wingers in ‘the 9’.

As the players were resting on the day of Pep’s pre-match press conference (Friday) and were due to have another training session on Saturday; our manager could not update us as to the availability of both Matheus Nunes (dislocated figure) nor Jeremy Doku (knock / muscular). I have, therefore on this occasion, simply assumed that they will be passed fit to be part of the match-day squad.

Notable absences:

- Jack Grealish – Pep did comment on the England winger and he is still out injured. There was no news on a possible return date.

Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?

I’d say that’s about our strongest 11, so yeah.

Result? Going to Anfield is difficult for any side and at any time. However, to do so when they’ve earnt the right to be top of the league (as I start to prepare this piece on Friday morning before Arsenal’s game on Saturday) as well as this match being all wrapped up in the emotion that this is Klopp’s last league game in charge of Liverpool vs Manchester City; it all adds an extra level of difficulty for sure. Since then, as I'm sure you'll know, Arsenal just about won their game in 86th minute; pushing Liverpool into 2nd and us into 3rd.

Yet, we should not go into this game fearful.

For a start, we are now 20 games unbeaten in all competitions (TWENTY!), with 18 wins and 2 draws. And although many City fans, myself included, have been admitting recently that we have been winning matches whilst not looking quite 100%, where we were having a few in-game wobbles / missing chances / conceding too many goals; those same City fans, again including myself, are now witnessing a City side that looks to have fully ‘clicked’.

Additionally, our Sunday hosts have way more injuries than we do and have played a European fixture, away, just last Thursday night; whilst we ended our home European match 24-hours earlier.

A lot of fans don’t like to hear excuses from their own side but those facts, both for & against, sure do add up and could-indeed make some sort of difference on the day.

Pep looked a little tired and even ‘fed up’ in his pre-match press conference, I thought, but I’m putting that down to the almost-inevitable, crass questions from the press, which I’m sure he was most-definitely expecting. These were largely regarding both Klopp and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s comments. Quite obvious & pathetic from the press, really, and…whatever.

A few weeks ago, when I occasionally looked ahead at this fixture whilst we were winning but still looking ‘a little off’, I was fearing a defeat I have to be honest. Now? I think we are more than capable of avoiding defeat at the very least and I’m having this down as a ‘points shared’.

A win, I think we are more than capable of achieving, but I’m going for a draw.

Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result:

Prediction: Draw

Result: Lost

(Pre-match blog posting from that game)

Expected weather conditions during the game: After a very rare, dry week in the region…rain returns for the big day in question. Light rain is forecasted to start in the early hours of Sunday morning; persist right through into the afternoon, throughout the whole game and continues as fans make their way from the ground. At least it’ll save the ground staff from watering the pitch and there should be a nice sheen on it for sure. There’s a robust, cold, easterly breeze too, so the supposed 8 or 9C temperature is likely to feel a LOT cooler than that in the stands.