Liverpool have five games left of their Premier League season knowing that if they are to win every one of them they will be Champions for the first time since 1990. The first of those five is the match which could ultimately decide the destination of this year’s title as it’s against the other club who know that winning out will land them the Championship, Manchester City. Brendan Rodgers men won their seventh consecutive league game in controversial circumstances last Sunday when overcoming West Ham 2-1 at Upton Park. They were definitely not at their best throughout the game but it’s often the scrappy victories at this stage of the season which go a huge way to winning league titles. Rodgers and his players will be under no illusion how tough a test they will be in for on Sunday but they could hardly be in better form and will be roared on by a raucous home support.
Manuel Pellegrini has impressed many with his own personal approach and that of his team during his first season in charge of Manchester City. The Chilean has earned many fans for the way he has set out City side out this season, winning games but doing it with a style that had been missing under the previous manager. It will all count for nothing, though, if they don’t secure the league title and to do that they will have to get a result on Sunday against a Liverpool side in blistering form. City head into the match in good form too, however, with five wins and a draw in their last half dozen games. That draw could yet prove to be important, though, as they were comfortable against Arsenal only to drop two points in the second half. They still have their destiny in their own hands which is all you can ask for at this stage of the season.
Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge both drew blanks last Sunday meaning they remain locked on 49 goals as a partnership for the season in the league. It fell to Steven Gerrard to score twice from the penalty spot to take the points but you would be a brave man to bet against the SAS partnership failing to score this weekend. The last time either of the two failed to score in a league game at Anfield was away back in September.
One man City fans will be desperate to face Liverpool on Sunday is Sergio Aguero. The Argentine has missed the last few games through injury but is expected to be fit for the trip to Merseyside. His importance to the team cannot be underestimated as his movement and pace compliments so many other attributes this City side has to offer, not least the talents of David Silva who’s passing ability and vision is second to none.
It promises to be an enthralling game for so many reasons on Sunday, with the two most impressive sides in this season’s Premier League season going head to head. They’ve scored 174 goals between them so it seems reasonable to expect an open and entertaining match. Liverpool have been beaten just once at Anfield all season but such is the effect that Aguero has on this team, I fancy City to take all three points and a huge step to the league title, on Sunday.
Manchester City 2/1 @ Bwin
