MX23RW : Friday, December 13 07:42:40| >> :60:2688:2688:
[monks data]
Attendance: 54,511
Manchester City logo
Premier League | Gameweek 21
Jan 3, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
Liverpool logo

2-1

Aguero (40'), Sane (72')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Firmino (64')

Shaqiri sees the bigger picture before Liverpool face Manchester City

Shaqiri sees the bigger picture before Liverpool face Manchester City
© Reuters
The Premier League's top two face off at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday.

Midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri insists Liverpool do not view their forthcoming heavyweight clash with Manchester City as a chance to knock their rivals out of the title race.

The Premier League's top two face off at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday with Pep Guardiola's defending champions trailing by seven points.

It is a match City cannot afford to lose – and realistically have to win considering the relentless progress of Liverpool, who remain unbeaten 20 matches into the season.

And while it would be a huge statement to inflict a fourth defeat of the campaign on City and leave them trailing by 10 points, Shaqiri said the equation was not in their thoughts.

"We don't go there to take Man City out of the race, we go there for a Premier League game," he said.

"We go there to make a good performance first of all and try to win games. That's the only goal that we have.

"There are not other things in our minds at the moment. We just have to keep going, to work hard every day in training to win games.

"I'm sure when we keep going like this we are going to be very successful.

"Everything can happen this season but it's a long way to go.

"Of course for you guys (the media) it's always a message when we win games but for us it's three points that are very important.

"Of course they're going to come after us and try to win, to grab three points.

"The pressure is always here. If you are top of the table, everybody is coming after you, everybody wants to beat you.

Manchester City v Liverpool – Premier League – Etihad Stadium
Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola will meet again on Thursday (Martin Rickett/PA)

"In the end for us it's not really important where we stand because we want to win games and we want to win games until the end."

Liverpool showed in a first-half 30-minute spell against Arsenal they were still capable of blowing away opponents like they did last season as they came from behind to score four in quick succession on their way to a 5-1 win.

Most of their matches have not been as explosive this season as they have adopted a more controlled approach which has ultimately been, so far, more successful.

What has also been evident is the team spirit which manager Jurgen Klopp has engendered and that was typified by one incident in the tunnel as the players walked off at the interval against Arsenal.

Gunners defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos accused Mohamed Salah of diving – something which had been levelled at the Egypt international by Newcastle on Boxing Day when he was awarded a soft spot-kick – to win the penalty for Liverpool's fourth on the stroke of half-time.

Virgil Van Dijk took exception and sprang to his team-mate's defence and the pair had to be separated by other players.

"I saw that he went to Mo and was saying that he dived. He was attacking him a bit, but I wanted to say he didn't dive," said the Holland captain.

"Obviously everyone came around us and it looked like we were fighting or something but we weren't.

"I'm protecting my team-mates and that's normal, that's how everyone should react and that's what we all need to do, to back each other. That's what I definitely do."

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Carl Markham, Press Association Sport');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', '3d7a5066-75ca-40d3-9e77-a36191fd1ae6');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:club-news,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:uk,paservice:sport:world');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'Shaqiri sees the bigger picture before Liverpool face Manchester City'});

ID:345547: cacheID:345547:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:9058:
Written by
P A
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Glenn Murray of Bournemouth celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Barclays Premier League match between A.F.C. Bournemouth and Watford at Vitality Stadium on October 3, 2015 in Bournemouth, United Kingdom.
Read Next:
Guardiola challenges City players to beat Liverpool and keep title race alive
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
1.15am
Rams
@
49ers
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool14112129111835
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1585229151429
4Manchester CityMan City158342721627
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest157441918125
6Aston Villa157442323025
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Brentford157263128323
10Fulham156542220223
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155551921-220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton143561421-714
16Leicester CityLeicester153572130-914
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich151681427-139
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1523102338-159
20Southampton1512121131-205


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!