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Manchester City logo
Premier League
Dec 26, 2013 at 5.30pm UK
 
Liverpool logo

2-1

Kompany (31'), Negredo (45')
FT(HT: 2-1)
Coutinho (24')

Preview: Manchester City vs. Liverpool

Sports Mole previews the mouth-watering Boxing Day top-of-the-table clash between Manchester City and Liverpool at the Etihad.

Manchester City host Liverpool in a mouth-watering top-of-the-table clash at the Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day.

City currently sit third in the Premier League table and could move top of the pile with a win depending on results elsewhere.

The hosts have been in unstoppable form at home this season, winning all eight of their league matches and only failing to score fewer than three goals in a game on one occasion.

Their results at the Etihad include a 4-1 win over Manchester United, a 6-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur and a 6-3 win over Arsenal in their latest outing in front of their own goal-spoiled fans.

Norwich have also been dispatched 7-0 and Newcastle hit for four on the way to a staggering 35 goals at home already this season, with just five conceded in that time.

Home and away, City are unbeaten in their last nine games and have been installed as the new favourites for the Premier League title following their emphatic victory over Arsenal.

It is not all good news for City, however, as they will be without top scorer Sergio Aguero and fan-favourite Pablo Zabaleta, meaning that Edin Dzeko and Gael Clichy are expected to start once again.

Manuel Pellegrini is also likely to keep faith in Joe Hart, who returned to Premier League action in the win over Fulham in City's last match.

While City's scoring statistics are intimidating, Liverpool are certainly not short of goals themselves this season. They have netted 42 times in the league so far, a tally only City can better.

In Luis Suarez they have arguably the most in-form player in world football right now, with the Uruguayan scoring 19 goals in just 12 appearances so far this season, including at least two goals in each of his last four matches.

The Reds currently sit top of the table, the first time that they have occupied that position at Christmas for five years, but they could end the day as low as fifth if results elsewhere go against them.

Brendan Rodgers's side thrashed Tottenham Hotspur 5-0 in their last away game, but that is their only win on their travels in their last five matches, a run that included a shock defeat to Hull City.

The visitors have a number of injury problems, with Jon Flanagan potentially joining Steven Gerrard, Daniel Sturridge, Jose Enrique and Sebastian Coates on the sidelines, leaving Liverpool with just 17 fit players for the festive period.

Recent form

Man City: WDWWWW

Liverpool: DLWWWW

Possible starting lineups

Man City: Hart; Clichy, Kompany, Demichelis, Kolarov; Fernandinho, Touré; Navas, Silva, Nasri; Negredo

Liverpool: Mignolet; Johnson, Sakho, Skrtel, Flanagan; Allen, Lucas, Henderson; Coutinho, Suarez, Sterling

Sports Mole says: 3-1


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 Brendan Rodgers, manager of Liverpool looks on during the Barclays Premier League match between Hull City and Liverpool at KC Stadium on December 1, 2013
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014


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