Pre match: Man City v Liverpool; EPL: April 10th: KO 4.30pm

I thought we had Pep in a very dark place when we won the league.   He was at melting point we let him off the hook the next season due to being unlucky with injuries.   If we can somehow just get a scrappy win we can really destroy him knock him out of both cups that is if they over come athletico.

We can smash these sunday.

Were due to score more than 4.   

Who would your front three be Dado? I can't pick but I know I want Diaz in there

I’d go with the “old guard” Bobby’s fitness looking close to peak and he’s contribution in defending a high press from the front is invaluable. I suspect Jota would start given he played 20mimutes against Benfica.

Come on mate, did you watch it? That first half especially. I was shocked just how much they dominated us.

Offcourse I did for all their dominance we led on both occasions and the stats are there for all to see.

I’d go with the “old guard” Bobby’s fitness looking close to peak and he’s contribution in defending a high press from the front is invaluable. I suspect Jota would start given he played 20mimutes against Benfica.

I'd start Bobby everyday for this match as well. Man City will control the possession stats so we need our best off the ballers on the field. Bobby can easily snap into them and all of a sudden we could be bearing down on their goal.

In terms of form, Diaz and Jota would be my first choice to start. Salah is having a rough time of it at the moment, so I'd be tempted to go for Diaz, Jota and Mane. But, I think we are more likely to see a return of the Mane, Bobby and Salah trio for the tried and tested route.

Defence I expect will be Trent, Matip, Virgil, Robbo.

Midfield will likely be Fab, Hendo and Thiago. But Keita would be in for a shout ahead of Hendo IMO based on the last couple of performances from the 2 over the last week.

This match feels like 2018/19 - whoever wins will go on to win the league. In all honesty, If we lose then I think that will be it in terms of going ahead of City this season as we'd be 4 points behind and although it's possible, I'd say it's unlikely City would drop 5 points in their remaining games after Sunday. A draw leaves it wide open still but fractionally favours them as they'd still have the point advantage over us. After the way we lost the game to them at their place a few years ago, surely we are due to put that right this time around?!

We've only beaten them once in the last 8 meetings and haven't beaten them in the league at their place since the 4-1 win in 2015. In recent games we have taken a couple of hammerings from them, conceding 11 goals and scoring just 4. So our performances against them haven't been anywhere near what they were when we had the edge over them a few years ago in the Champions League and the league game prior to that where we beat them in 3 consecutive games. We need to significantly up the performance and the concentration because Sunday has the potential to break out title charge.

I don't care if its a 1-0 win from a own goal bouncing off Ederson's gargoyle head, just win please!

Win at all costs. Hope Salah picks up been so poor latley. Mane hasntbeen great too. Big game shitting myself. COYR

Interested see who Klopps plays up top, personally would go Mane-Jota-Salah buy I can see Klopp going back with Firmino then if he needs a goal having Jota and Diaz off the bench.

Feel like the biggest key is transition ball played after winning the ball and think having Thiago in the middle will really help that.

 Also defending has to be on though we been keeping a lot clean sheets in the league over past couple month. Alisson form has been in particularly good and sure he will be called upon in this game

In terms of form, Diaz and Jota would be my first choice to start. Salah is having a rough time of it at the moment, so I'd be tempted to go for Diaz, Jota and Mane. But, I think we are more likely to see a return of the Mane, Bobby and Salah trio for the tried and tested route.

Defence I expect will be Trent, Matip, Virgil, Robbo.

Midfield will likely be Fab, Hendo and Thiago. But Keita would be in for a shout ahead of Hendo IMO based on the last couple of performances from the 2 over the last week.

This match feels like 2018/19 - whoever wins will go on to win the league. In all honesty, If we lose then I think that will be it in terms of going ahead of City this season as we'd be 4 points behind and although it's possible, I'd say it's unlikely City would drop 5 points in their remaining games after Sunday. A draw leaves it wide open still but fractionally favours them as they'd still have the point advantage over us. After the way we lost the game to them at their place a few years ago, surely we are due to put that right this time around?!

We've only beaten them once in the last 8 meetings and haven't beaten them in the league at their place since the 4-1 win in 2015. In recent games we have taken a couple of hammerings from them, conceding 11 goals and scoring just 4. So our performances against them haven't been anywhere near what they were when we had the edge over them a few years ago in the Champions League and the league game prior to that where we beat them in 3 consecutive games. We need to significantly up the performance and the concentration because Sunday has the potential to break out title charge.

No question we have not done so well of late against them and will need to put in our best performance to get a result on the road.

So of course it is a big game, but I'm making no declarations about the finality of any impact on the league race. If this is a 6-point game, then the rest of the remaining games total 42 points, 21 for each team that still can be won and dropped.after the City game. We should know from all the declarations that we were beaten in December, that it won't be over either way on Sunday. Both teams can still drop points and this race probably goes until the final weekend.

But man, two best teams in the world facing off so what a huge occasion. Privileged to see our team taking part in this !and winning!).

It's a fixture the away team has generally found it difficult in recent years (bar the exceptional circumstances around last season's game at Anfield) so we will have to go up a few gears from recent weeks if we are to get a result. Don't think a draw is that bad but a defeat is massive, 4 points behind with 7 to play when you look at the fixtures City have will be very, very difficult for us to come back from.

I would have liked to have seen Diaz for this but I think the subs and starting XI on Wednesday pretty much gave away the team we will play and I don't think he starts. Only selection issue is around Bobby or Jota down the middle - think Jürgen goes for the former.

There's still a lot of football (some tough games especially for us) after this match but I'll be damned if this doesn't feel like our make or break game of the season. Already getting nervous.

Who we start up top isnt the big call for mw, I think the middle trio is the big one

Is Fab 100%

Do we go with the captain, big game player

Thiago surely starts

Naby looked good Tuesday

Curve ball with Harvey?

I am not too anxious about the game I think our lads are just so able to cope with so many different types of games I cant see them losing.

Diaz,Jota,Mo up front.Mane needs a rest as does Mo but out of the two I'd keep Mo in.

I don’t think we’ll come out all guns blazing, I see it being a cagey first 30 with neither side dominating, kind of cancelling each other out, I favour us only because we have a superior fire power and that could prove vital in the latter stages with players tiring, so going into HT 0-0 would be pretty good but going in 1up would imo be a massive bonus,

That will make them come out more and perhaps open up spaces for us to exploit, I would start with Mo, Mane & Diaz, and if things go like above we can then think about Bobby & Jota, emphasis being getting that one goal lead, or dare I say two and be absolutely greedy, However, we must keep a clean sheet if possible, do this we won’t lose, without stating the obvious, it’s a fact that we don’t have the best of it when we visit the emptihad but we’re a different animal of that in the past, much more rounded, better balanced and much more dangerous,

Over the piece, I take us to win 1-2, even without the Red tints, I feel Jürgen will have them fired up mentally and clued up tactically, whatever happens there will be plenty of squeaky bums being scratched that’s for sure, this is going to be EPIC!!!


1-2 Champions Elect




                                                                              Y  N  W  A

I think Bobby is a nailed on starter this game because City will have a lot of possession and we need his ability to drop deep, press and start the counter. Given Salah's form the past 6 weeks he should be firmly warming the bench as this game is too important for us to have any passengers, but Jürgen is very loyal so he will start so let's hope he rises to the occasion. Then it's a matter of LW between Jota, Mane and Diaz. My gut tells me we go with the old 3 amigos and Mane starts though Jota would likely be a better option with his ability to put one in out of nowhere and his heading ability, then bring Mane in late in the game as they get to tired and crush them with his pace.

Middle is less tricky. Fabinho an obvious choice at DM, then Hendo for his leadership and do the dirty work, so it's a matter of Thiago or Keita as the advanced midfielder. Lean towards Thiago's class but would be fine with either.

Matip comes in for Konate and the rest is obvious.

o it's a matter of Thiago or Keita as the advanced midfielder. Lean towards Thiago's class but would be fine with either.

Thiago, 100%. If Keita is in for anyone then it's Hendo who drops out IMO.

Our attack is strong and their defence is weak. We will surely get some goals. But it's how many we'd concede. They will exploit the spaces behind our wing backs.

All that's left is the midfield battle - stopping Kevin and his support. Fab picks himself. I'd go with Hendo and Thiago - both of whom can dictate play. Hendo can breakdown their play as well. If we control the midfield and stop Kevin and friends from playing, we can win this. And no mistakes. We got this.

Our attack is strong and their defence is weak. We will surely get some goals. But it's how many we'd concede. They will exploit the spaces behind our wing backs.

All that's left is the midfield battle - stopping Kevin and his support. Fab picks himself. I'd go with Hendo and Thiago - both of whom can dictate play. Hendo can breakdown their play as well. If we control the midfield and stop Kevin and friends from playing, we can win this. And no mistakes. We got this.

we are conceding very few goals these days. I am firmly convinced this Liverpool team may well be the first with no weaknesses and a bench to match. We dont need to win 4 or 5 nil every game and its evident we know are able to pace ourselves through a season which is a wonderful acknowledgement of Jürgen and his teams work. Looking forward to this I feel very confident we will have too much for them.
One caviat Ref's decisions. It concerns me who we have in charge for the biggest game of the seaosn

Asking a few mates for predictions, at least half dont support us....all have said us by 2 and a few gone 3-1

Thiago, 100%. If Keita is in for anyone then it's Hendo who drops out IMO.

Agreed, this game is made for Thiago. Personally I would go with Thiago, Fab and Henderson for the experience then possibly get Keita on at 60 mins.

Keita doesn't do enough for me and always looks a bit "meh" in terms of his attitude (Thiago too sometimes). We need all the players to be full on for this match. No Firmino for me too for that reason.