Liverpool vs Man City: How Arne Slott’s Reds can end their Premier League title defense before Christmas

Liverpool will be licking their lips in anticipation. Chances are he’s got them. The Premier League leaders face Manchester City in Super Sunday this week, with the chance to break down their defense for good. Christmas has come early.

Sunday will be as much about Man City’s end – should they lose – as it will be about Liverpool’s pursuit of silverware this season, but as the old saying goes: ‘You can play with what’s in front of you.’

And what awaits Liverpool at Anfield is a side bullet, they can’t free Feyenoordthe fourth-placed Eredivisie team, let alone the Premier League leaders. Man City seem to have been stripped of their power, while Liverpool are getting in on their feet smartly.

This meeting, at this point in the season, is very difficult for Arne Slot. Rarely, if ever, are conditions favorable. Slot’s Liverpool have the chance to benefit in a more profound way on Sunday, robbing Pep Guardiola of the Dutchman’s first meeting as manager.

How often do you get the chance to kick City down? They are walking away injured – on a six-game unbeaten run, including five defeats – and if Liverpool take their chances as many expect, is the race over? His style is as amazing as it has been for years.

“Liverpool have done very well and have a chance to win the title,” Roy Keane said last week. “If they do really well, the fans behind them, and beat City – what a statement it would be. It would be all over for City if they lose.”

Paul Merson’s opinion: “The Premier League needs Man City to win on Sunday, because otherwise Liverpool will spread the word. They could run away from the competition very soon.” Opta put Liverpool’s chances of lifting the trophy in May at 74.8 percent.

And yet, they have won their last nine Premier League games against Man City. This arrangement has not been a happy hunting ground recently, they need to return in October 2022 to search for the best final result – Mohamed Salah scored the 1-0 winner.

It will surprise few if the same match winner returns this time. As well as having the most goals and assists combined in the Premier League this season (16), Salah’s performances have also given Liverpool a league-high 17 points this term.

Putting the final nail in Man City’s coffin could act as the spice in Egypt’s appeal for a new and improved deal – more on that later.

Good predictions are abundant. Only once (Manchester United in 1993/94) has a team had a greater player lead than Liverpool currently has after 12 games. Their haul of 31 points would be equaled or bettered 10 times in Premier League history – eight of those clubs were selected to be successful.

It’s hard to imagine a country that Slot would allow to settle, even with eight points, which could go up to 11-points. This is not a manager who ignores the basics. They know that nothing has been won this side of Christmas, even if hope, in the case of Man City, may be lost.

Pragmatic Slot will have a plan for Sunday, and its minimum will be based on the idea that visitors to Merseyside will be rolling. A person like Slot recognizes both the opportunities and the dangers.

They will want to win with formation, because teams that leave things to chance against Man City – such as low and rich – are punished.

Back in 2022, where Salah faced a difficult and dangerous situation at Anfield – Jurgen Klopp was fired – it was Alisson who scored the opening goal with a run-of-the-mill punt downfield. Salah’s reaction to that long-range kick was not impressive, but this was a game of anger and a fine margin. Had it not been for Alisson’s quick thinking or Joao Cancelo’s defensive failure, the game could easily have ended 0-0.

This time, Slot will require control and calm heads. Liverpool have the opportunity to demand such standards. They are capable, with confidence, of putting this fragile Man City side to work at the other end of the pitch, just as they are attacking. Champions League holders Real Madrid on Wednesday night to be perfect in Europe.

Another test was successful.

They say to be good, you have to beat the best. Real’s England midfielder Jude Bellingham called Liverpool “the most successful team in Europe” right now. He may be right. There’s an awesome mix of starpower and firepower in the top end, a clean and tidy engine that can accelerate and generate, and a solid rear end that doesn’t let in goals. Deputy goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher denied Kylian Mbappe from the penalty spot on Wednesday.

Everything that can go well is going well.

Perhaps the only doubt concerns the top game of Snog, Talk, Avoid Liverpool are playing with three of their best players. Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Salah are all out of contract this summer, and future negotiations are not moving forward, with the club thinking they can afford to keep two of the three. Slot hopes that none of his three are lost, but in the end, the conversation is out of his hands.

His influence on this Liverpool side’s success on the pitch, however, has been clear. Their only Premier League defeat this season was a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest, having won seven of their eight games since then, scoring at least twice in all but one of them. Momentum is growing. The fuse is on.

And now comes the opportunity to make the biggest statement of all. Following the beating of the reigning European champions and the Premier League champions six times (under Pep), all in the space of four days, would be a significant achievement. A reminder to save money.

Liverpool have their chance, they just have to take it.

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