How Liverpool could line up against Manchester City

Premier League champions Liverpool will be looking to keep their hopes of retaining the title alive when they welcome leaders Manchester City to Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

The Reds have slipped seven points adrift of their visitors, having played a game more, due to a run of just two wins from their last eight Premier League outings.

The most recent of those saw them slump to a second successive home defeat, having not lost any of their 68 such matches before that, and this weekend they take on a Man City side in record-breaking form.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how Jurgen Klopp could set his side up for the contest.

Out: Virgil van Dijk (knee), Joel Matip (ankle), Joe Gomez (knee), Diogo Jota (knee), Naby Keita (muscle) Doubtful: Alisson Becker (illness), Sadio Mane (muscle), Fabinho (muscle) > Click here for Liverpool's latest injury and suspension news ahead of this match Liverpool could welcome three crucial players back into their side for this match, with Alisson Becker, Sadio Mane and Fabinho all in line to return after recent spells out. Alisson missed the Brighton defeat due to illness but Klopp was optimistic over his availability for Sunday, while Mane and Fabinho will both be back in training ahead of this match and should be thrown straight back into the starting XI following only short-term absences. Mane's return will reunite the front three alongside Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, but it is Fabinho who may prove to be the most valuable returnee given Liverpool's problems at centre-back. Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez could all miss the remainder of the season, although Liverpool do now have more options following the deadline day arrivals of Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies. Klopp has hinted that he would prefer both players to have more time with the squad before throwing them into the mix, but Kabak could nonetheless be handed his debut this weekend despite Nat Phillips performing well since being called upon. Those extra options at the heart of the defence will also enable Jordan Henderson to move back into midfield, likely alongside Georginio Wijnaldum and Thiago Alcantara, although the latter's spot for this game has come under some scrutiny. Klopp is expected to stick with the summer signing, though, despite the likes of Curtis Jones, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and former Man City man James Milner all pushing for starts in midfield. > Click here to see how Manchester City could line up for this contest