Mohamed Salah will be looking to continue his imperious form against Man City this weekend, with the visitors not winning at Anfield in front of fans over two decades.
The Reds host Pep Guardiola’s champions on Sunday afternoon, in a huge occasion at Anfield.
Arne Slot‘s side know that victory will take them 11 points clear of City in the title race, but defeat would blow things wide open again.
Alexis Mac Allister is one yellow card away from a one-match ban, having already received a Champions League suspension against Real Madrid in midweek.
Ibrahima Konate is in the same boat – both have four bookings apiece in the league – but he is injured for the weekend action.
Meanwhile, Slot will be forced to serve a one-match touchline ban if he receives a yellow card on Sunday.
Salah’s superb record vs. Man City
Salah has made more appearances for Liverpool against City (20) than he has against any other team.
He has scored 11 goals in that time, with only Ian Rush (15) scoring more. Kenny Dalglish and Gordon Hodgson also have 11.
Salah has scored in five of his seven Premier League clashes with City at Anfield.
The only times he has failed to score came in the goalless draw in October 2018, and last season when he entered the pitch as a substitute.
Salah is also the only Liverpool player in history to score against City in four different meetings in the same season, back in 2022/23, when he found the net in both league games plus the Community Shield and League Cup.
Further woes for Guardiola?
City’s defeat at home to Tottenham last weekend saw them lose a fifth match in succession for the first time since March-April 2006, when they lost six in a row under Stuart Pearce.
It was the first time Guardiola had suffered four successive losses in all competitions as a coach.
City have conceded the opening goal in six of their 12 Premier League fixtures this season – the losses at Bournemouth and at home to Spurs are the only times they have not come back to win.
They have drawn one and lost five of the last six matches. In that run, they have conceded 17 goals.
In their opening 14 games of this season in all competitions they conceded 11.
City’s wretched run at Anfield
Not since February 2010 have there been three consecutive league draws between Liverpool and City, and never in history have two consecutive Anfield league encounters ended 1-1.
City’s last victory away to the Reds came in February 2021, winning 4-1 in a game played behind closed doors with goals from Ilkay Gundogan (2), Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden.
The last time they won at Anfield in front of fans came in May 2003, however, when former Reds Nicolas Anelka and Robbie Fowler played up front, with the former scoring both goals in a 2-1 win.
This season’s scorers
Liverpool: Salah 12, Diaz 9, Gakpo 6, Jota 4, Konate 2, Nunez 3, Szoboszlai 2, Van Dijk 2, Jones 1, Mac Allister 1.
Man City: Haaland 17, Foden 3, Gvardiol 3, Kovacic 3, Matheus Nunes 3, Stones 3, Doku 2, Gundogan 2, Bernardo Silva 1, De Bruyne 1, McAtee 1.
* Stats courtesy of LFC statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).
