Liverpool V Manchester City Betting

 

Liverpool V Manchester City

 

Kick-off: Saturday 21st November – 12:45 GMT

Venue: Anfield

TV Coverage: Sky Sports 1

 

 

 

Liverpool

 

League Position: 3rd

Recent Form: WWWWD

 

 

It’s man the battle station at Anfield as Liverpool signed off a bitterly disappointing month of October by starting November with a pathetic draw at home to Birmingham City. The reds’ have now won just once in five outings in the league, a 2-0 win over Manchester United, of all the teams. Their Champions League dreams are hanging by the slimmest of threads, a tournament which they could be out of by this time next week, while their league objective has gone from winning the league to simply finishing in the top four. Although, at this rate, Liverpool will be lucky to finish in a Europa league spot.

   

Rafael Benitez was handed a mixture of good & bad news this week as news that several of the first team have recovered from a wide variety of injuries and knocks. Glen Johnson sat out England’s 1-0 defeat in Doha to Brazil, as well as Steven Gerrard, who made his return to the Liverpool fold against Birmingham after Yossi Benayoun limped off. However, the bad news is that Fernando Torres probably won’t be available for the weekend’s clash with Man City, while Yossi Benayoun & Alberto Riera are also certain absentee’s.

  

Whenever Liverpool are without either Steven Gerrard or Fernando Torres they generally struggle to win games. This was certainly the case against Birmingham, although their abysmal defending didn’t help their cause. It will be fair to say that Liverpool dominated proceedings with Birmingham, having most of the possession and chances, but David N’gog, the like-for-like replacement for Torres, one of the jokes of the season it has to be said, simply didn’t make the cut in that role despite scoring the games opener with a sublime volley. The Spaniards off the ball movement and ability to know exactly where the crosses and through balls will go is something N’gog has yet to master and the only reason why Liverpool didn’t beat Birmingham.

  

That draw with Birmingham has all but ended Liverpool’s hopes of winning their first league title in what seems an eternity, despite the season being just 12 games old. The reds’ are 11 points adrift of Chelsea at the top, so now their attention will lye directly in attaining at least a fourth place finish. With this in mind, this game with City now becomes somewhat of a six pointer as defeat for Liverpool, what would be their fourth in six league games, would not only see City go four points clear of Rafa Benitez’s side but they would also hold a game in hand over Liverpool. Defeat is unthinkable, while a draw is unacceptable, so the win is the only result that will keep the faith of the fans firmly alive but also keep the critics at bay, albeit probably for just a few days.

 

 

 

Manchester City

 

League Position: 4th

Recent Form: LWDWL

  

Man City have already taken on two of the so called ‘Big Four’ this season, winning one and losing the other. They humiliated Arsenal, for the second season running, at The City of Manchester, while they put in a valiant display at the home of their local rivals, Manchester United, with a dubious 208^th minute goal (it was actually the 96^th) spoiling City’s early celebrations. However, in both games, City were mighty impressive and really took the game to the pair, and we expect nothing less against an injury ravaged Liverpool outfit on Saturday.

  

Although Liverpool will welcome back their talisman in Steven Gerrard from injury, there is no better time to play Liverpool at Anfield then this Saturday. Mark Hughes will be fully aware of this but, of course, he will play this down like he always does. If City do play in the manner which seen them thump Arsenal 4-2, and push United all the way in a 4-3 corker, then City should go close to at least earning a point, possibly even all three with the way Liverpool are playing, although, City haven’t been impressing of late, drawing on their last five outings in the league, to much weaker opponents it has to be said.

  

City started the season like a house on fire, winning five out of six. However, they have gone significantly off the boil since and can’t escape their terrible habit of drawing games. With the exception of the draw with Villa, Wigan (1-1), Fulham (2-2), Birmingham City (0-0) & Burnley (3-3), were all games City could only manage draws in and were matches where City, on paper anyway, should have won. City even let slip a one goal cushion with just minutes left to play against a Burnley side with five successive away defeat behind them, so that just highlights City’s mini rot at this present time.

  

A big boost for Mark Hughes, like his opposite number, is that an influential midfielder is welcomed back into the fold, and possibly the starting eleven, as Robinho is back in training with the rest of the squad. With Martin Petrov suffering yet another injury setback while on International duty, Robinho looks set to start his first game after a lengthy injury lay off and what a game to re announce yourself, although, speculation is rife that he wants out of Eastlands. What’s more, the absence of Martin Petrov will be massive as not only had the Bulgarian been a serious goal threat for City this season, scoring three times, but he is a damn sght better then Robinho on the road. The Brazilian only comes out to play when at home so perhaps the little guy won’t leave Rafa shaking in his boots.

 

 

 

 

Head-to-Head:

 

Liverpool W: 6 Manchester City W: 1 Draws: 3

 

All the money in the world cannot instantly buy you a superior head-to-head record and City will need to start their renovation work at Anfield if they are to turn the result between the two in their favour. Signs are starting to look good though for Mark Hughes and his City side. They may have lost 3-2 at The City of Manchester, at one stage leading the Reds 2-0, but they also did manage to keep Liverpool at arms length when the pair clashed at Anfield last season, drawing 1-1.

  

Unfortunately for City followers, the home defeat to Liverpool will be remember more, and that should spur the City players on to avenge the sour home defeat. However, City haven’t had much luck in recent visits to Anfield, losing on four of their previous five visits to the ‘ Merseyside Cauldron’.

  

Three of Liverpoo’sl last three home successes over Man City have come in the form of 1-0 victories. This does have the makings to be another close, tight affair so perhaps a punt on the same scoreline wouldn’t be a too bad punt in the circumstances.

 

 

 

 

 

Match Verdict:- Liverpool to WIN – 1.95 totesport

 

To be honest, a draw wouldn’t be a bad punt and, considering we haven’t got a Liverpool prediction right in God knows how long, the draw is probably the bet to be on. However, the return of Steven Gerrard is key in our opinion as the Liverpool skipper thrives on these sort of games and moments, moments where Liverpool are backed into a corner and have to win. This is where Gerrard really does come into his own and we reckon he could have one of those games which has defined his glittering career to date. City have become so complacent of late that it’s hard to stick a single penny on them right now. They will be a threat going forward, that goes without saying, but their defence is breach able, Burnley highlighted this two weeks ago, so Liverpool should still have enough up front, dare we say it, to outscore City.

  

We say outscore as we don’t think this will be a narrow 1-0 home win. Liverpool’s defence this season has been a shambles, although they did keep United at arms length last month in a 2-0 win so perhaps they will surprise me there, hopefully.

 

 

 

 

 

Match Odds:

 

Liverpool – 1.95 totesport

Draw – 3.40 SportingBet

Manchester City – 4.30 BetFred

 

 

 

 

 

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Steven Gerrard Anytime Goalscorer – 3.10 Expekt

 

 

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Full-Time: Liverpool 2-2 Manchester City

 

Goalscorer(s): Martin Skrtel, Yossi Benayoun (Liverpool), Emmanuel Adebayor, Stephen Ireland (Manchester City)