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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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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal34245582265677
2Liverpool34228475344174
3Manchester CityMan City32227376324473
4Aston Villa34206871502166
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs32186865491660
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd33165125150153
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle331551369541550
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham34139125463-948
9Chelsea32138116157447
10Bournemouth34129134960-1145
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton321111105250244
12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves34127154654-843
13Fulham34126165054-442
14Crystal Palace34109154456-1239
15Brentford3498175259-735
16Everton34118153648-1233
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3479184260-1826
18Luton TownLuton3467214775-2825
19Burnley3458213769-3223
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd3437243392-5916


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