The Premier League title race has gone from over in February to boiling-lava hot in just a few short weeks.
Liverpool has picked up a perfect 27 from 27 possible points over its last nine matches, and with Man City slipping a few times through that span, the Reds pounced.
Man City drew Southampton and Crystal Palace since the turn of the new year, and a loss to Tottenham in mid-February was a critical blow as well. Thanks to those results, Liverpool now sits just a single point behind, and would overtake Man City with a head-to-head victory.
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Both squads will claim they are just focused on the next match, one of 38 in a long season, but Premier League fans around the world can turn the calendar forward and mark the next time these two teams match up. It could decide the Premier League title.
When does Liverpool play Manchester City next?
The match to possibly decide the Premier League title takes place on Sunday, April 10 at the Etihad.
The game is scheduled to kick off at 11:30 a.m. ET, the sole match during that timeslot for a heavyweight fight between the two clubs.
At this point, both squads are quite healthy, a reason why the two clubs are in the position they are atop the table. That means the best players will be on the field to decide the Premier League title.
For Liverpool, there is an ankle problem for Diogo Jota to worry about, and his strike partner Roberto Firmino will be “out a while” according to Jurgen Klopp. Otherwise, the Reds have nothing else to be concerned about.
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Man City has a calf issue for Jack Grealish to keep in mind, plus a back problem for backup goalkeeper Zack Steffen, but are otherwise fully fit.
What happened last time Liverpool played Man City?
The reverse fixture at Anfield back on Oct. 3 was a thriller, with Liverpool twice taking a lead and twice coughing it up.
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Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah scored the goals for Liverpool, putting them in front each time, but Phil Foden drew the sides level first and then Kevin de Bruyne secured the draw with an 81st minute goal.
Fans would dream of another match of that caliber, with two title-worthy teams going head-to-head in a match that featured plenty of title-worthy moments.
What are the teams saying about the match?
Surprisingly, the two teams have actually played into the hype surrounding the match rather than downplay its significance.
“The next Premier League game is a big one – we can’t hide from that,” said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on Saturday during his post-match press conference following a win over Watford.
His counterpart agreed. “We will fight,” said Man City boss Pep Guardiola. “The opponent is so tough and good but they said we will make a proper battle and we accept that.”
“Hopefully Liverpool are going to lose against us, but apart from that I don’t think they are going to drop points,” Guardiola added. “You have to handle [the pressure]. We did it in the past when we had to win 14 games in a row [to beat Liverpool to the title in 2019]. Now we have to win eight games – otherwise we will not be champions.”
After the lead by the managers, the players have followed suit, refusing to back down from the buildup either.
“It’s massive,” Liverpool defender Joe Gomez told the Reds official website. “I think all we can do is give it our all and not see it like we have anything to lose, it’s everything to gain. It’s where we want to be, fighting for all competitions.”
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism