Liverpool Vs Manchester City
Liverpool Vs Manchester City Sunday 7th February 2021 – 16:30 (Sky Sports)
English Premier League
Pick: Under 2.5 Goals
Odds: 6/5
Bookmaker: Bet365
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 4th February 2021)
Preview: Having already fallen seven points behind the league leaders, who happen to be the side they face at Anfield on Sunday, can Liverpool get their faltering Premier League title defence back on track by beating Manchester City in the weekend’s standout fixture?
English Premier League Betting at Bet365
Table of Contents
Liverpool – Can the champions rise to the occasion again?
After such an agonising wait to get their hands on the title again when lifting the Premier League aloft last July, there is now a very real danger Liverpool (W11 D7 L4) surrender their crown without so much as sustaining a meaningful challenge between now and the end of the campaign. The Reds, following Wednesday’s shock home defeat at the hands of Brighton, are now seven points adrift of the leaders.
That leader being Sunday’s opposition, who also hold a game in hand over Jurgen Klopp’s beleaguered men. Worryingly, Man City arrive on Merseyside with the champions in a vulnerable state. Liverpool have won two of their past eight league games (W2 D3 L3), lost successive home matches for the first time since September 2012, and are winless in four at Anfield since edging out Spurs on 16 December.
The Reds are also without a league goal in 348 minutes at home, failing to score in the last three consecutive matches at their fabled ground – the first time that has happened in more than 36 years. However, this season has seen the champions badly struggle against the lesser sides but rise to the challenge versus the best, going unbeaten across their nine meetings with the top-eight (W6 D3).
Manchester City – Pep’s resolute side in ominous form?
Whereas their upcoming opponents continue to falter in defence of the title which was claimed from Man City (W14 D5 L2), who won it in 2017-18 and 2018-19, Pep Guardiola’s men are instead making winning matches look easy. Wednesday’s 2-0 victory at Turf Moor over Burnley little more than routine as they made it thirteen straight wins in all competitions – the first English team to achieve such a feat for nearly 20 years.
City’s lead at the top of the Premier League is now back to three points, having played a game less than second-place Man Utd, and on current form it is difficult to see who can possibly rein them in. The four-time Premier League winners have won all of their last nine league games, scoring 21 and conceding once – their only blemish the latest of consolations for Chelsea in a 3-1 victory at Stamford Bridge on 3 January.
Prevent Liverpool from scoring then – and the champions are struggling lately to do so on their own patch – and this team will go down in club history as the first to register seven consecutive clean sheets in the league. Yet their record in this particular fixture isn’t great, with one win from their previous 29 league visits (W1 D9 L19) to Anfield – a ground Guardiola has never won at during his managerial career (D1 L3).
Don’t miss out on other Betting Tips & Predictions
Click here for more Betting Tips
Liverpool Vs Manchester City Betting Advice
The match odds underpin the current state of play in the Premier League, with the champions in a state of disarray – largely owning to an unfortunate spate of injuries, some of them serious – as the team who won the title before them go about reclaiming it in a stoic, professional manner. Man City are in supreme form, and even at a touch above evens, look a reasonable bet to compound the champions’ woes.
Liverpool Vs Man City – Key Facts:
- Previously unbeaten in 68 home Premier League games, Liverpool have now lost back-to-back league matches at Anfield for the first time in more than eight years.
- Liverpool are without a goal in a Premier League home game for 348 minutes, while Man City are looking to keep a club record seventh straight clean sheet in the competition.
- Across their previous 29 visits to Anfield in the league, Man City have only managed to win once (W1 D9 L19) – a 2-1 win in May 2003 – with Liverpool 3-1 winners here last term.
Under 2.5 Goals is a similar price, though. Man City’s formidable rearguard is well documented, as is Liverpool’s goal drought here at Anfield. While there is always the utmost respect between these teams, as was very evident in their 1-1 draw in Manchester in November. However, six of the last eight meetings on Merseyside have seen three or more goals, including last season in a 3-1 scoreline for the hosts.
Best Betting Odds – Liverpool Vs Man City
Liverpool – 12/5 (PaddyPower)
Draw – 13/5 (Betway)
Man City – 11/10 (BetVictor)
