Win and City will be withing four points of Jurgen Klopp’s side; lose, and Liverpool will be ten points ahead of them.
With the fate of this season’s title race potentially riding on this game, here’s a look at the talking points for the crunch clash.
LIVERPOOL SEARCH FOR TITLE-WINNING MOMENTUM
Three years ago, Leicester City travelled to Manchester to face a City team that were the biggest threat to the Foxes’ title charge. Claudio Ranieiri’s side pulled off a stunning 3-1 win, a result that gave them the momentum that took them to their glorious triumph four months later.
Some might say that Liverpool winning the Premier League would be just as miraculous as that Leicester win, and the timing of this clash throws up parallels.
The Reds actually have a bigger lead – Leicester were only two points clear heading into their game against City – so a win on Wednesday will be even more momentous, taking the gap back to nine points. It’s hard to see Liverpool slipping up from there, even with so much time left in the season.
Leicester actually lost the next game after beating City, but that was the only loss they had for the rest of the season. It was clear the result was a fillip that drove the team on for the rest of the season.
Liverpool have been on the other side of the coin as well, beating City in April 2014 to put themselves in pole position for the title only to infamously let it slip. But this time, a win may give them the momentum to be unstoppable.
Win on Sunday and Liverpool are likely to be celebrating a title.
FIRST REAL TEST FOR GUARDIOLA’S CITY
On the flip side, this is more or less a must-win game for City. Overcoming a ten-point gap would be a tall ask even for Pep Guardiola’s superteam, not least because nothing in the form book suggests Liverpool would drop that many points over the remaining 17 games.
City have faced few moments like this in Guardiola’s tenure. Last season’s title race was over by December, so they never went into any game worrying about the consequences of a loss. Even the Champions League quarter-final tie against Liverpool didn’t come with this much pressure – if anything, trailing 3-0 after the first leg reduced the pressure on the return fixture, given how unlikely overturning the deficit was.
This, then, is arguably Guardiola’s biggest test as City manager. He has to make home advantage count – last year, the same fixture ended 5-0 in the Citizens’ favour, though only after an early, controversial red card for Liverpool forward Sadio Mane when the score was only 1-0.
They also ripped Liverpool to shreds in the first half of that quarter-final second leg, and were unlucky to be only 1-0 up at halftime en route to a 2-1 loss. That performance came with Virgil van Dijk in the Liverpool line-up, so even the league’s best defence should hold no fear for City.
Time for Guardiola’s side to step up.
Pep Guardiola’s biggest test as City manager?
CLASSIC OR DAMP SQUIB?
Given the nature of these two sides, it’s tempting to imagine that this game will serve up a classic. Two teams that play exhilarating attacking football, with managers who don’t know how to take a step back. It could very well be a game worthy of being a title decider.
But given how much is resting on this game, it shouldn’t be a surprise if this turns into a cagey, tense affair.
The season’s first game between these two ended in a 0-0 draw at Anfield, and though a draw doesn’t really help City, it would at least allow them to continue breathing down Liverpool’s necks for the rest of the season.
Liverpool would probably take a draw regardless, given that it would keep their seven-point advantage intact.
Another factor to consider is that though this is a clash of the league’s two highest-scoring attacks, it’s also a meeting between the best and joint-second-best defences.
The old adage says hope for the best but prepare for the worst. So be ready for a damp squib.
Will these two attacking managers produce a game dominated by the defences?
