Manchester City vs Liverpool – Preview, H2H, Line-ups, Odds, Prediction | EFL Cup 

Manchester City-Liverpool-Preview

Manchester City will host Liverpool at the Etihad this Thursday in the round of 16 of the 2022/23 Carabao Cup. 

Venue: Etihad Stadium (Manchester)

Key Statistics

Manchester City have won 11 of their 12 games played at the Etihad Stadium this season (L1).

They have scored 2+ goals in all but one of their last 18 competitive games at the Etihad. 

They are unbeaten at the Etihad against Liverpool in their last four games (W2, D2).

Liverpool have won three of their last four away games (L1).

They have won their last four competitive games. 

Liverpool have not lost inside 90 minutes in their last eight competitive meetings with Man City outside of the Premier League (W5, D3).

Head to head

In the last 15 meetings between both sides in all competitions, Liverpool have seven wins while Manchester City have three wins (D5). 

Latest performances in all competitions

Manchester City: W-L-W-W-W

Liverpool: W-L-W-W-W

Manchester City 

After over a month without competitive action, Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side will return to competitive action this Thursday in a must-win game against Premier League rivals Liverpool.

The Cityzens went into the World Cup break on the back of a disappointing result–a 2-1 loss to Brentford. The result ended a run of six games without defeat and put them five points behind Arsenal in the title race.

Having had enough time to rest and recharge their batteries, the Premier League champions will look to get back to winning ways on Thursday when they face a Liverpool side that have beaten them in each of their last three meetings.

Guardiola’s side lost to Jurgen Klopp’s men earlier this season at Anfield (1-0), while they were also beaten 3-1 by the Reds when both sides met in the Community Shield earlier this season. Klopp’s men also won in both sides’ FA Cup semi-final meeting at Wembley last season.

While all these results place City as the disadvantaged side, it is worth noting that all these last three meetings came outside the Etihad. Moreover, the Cityzens have a formidable record against Liverpool at home, winning two of the previous four meetings at this venue, drawing twice. 

They will bank on their fans and home advantage to give them the edge in this game as they attempt to reach the Carabao Cup final for the fifth time under Guardiola. 

Possible Man City starting line-up

Stefan Ortega; Rico Lewis, Shea Charles, Aymeric Laporte, Sergio Gomez; Kevin De Bruyne, Kalvin Phillips, Ilkay Gundogan; Riyad Mahrez, Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer.

Injured: None 

Doubtful: None 

Suspended: None 

Liverpool 

Unlike Man City, Liverpool went into the World Cup break on a high note, winning four games in a row, including a penalty shootout win over Derby County in the previous round of the Carabao Cup.

Having begun the season terribly, they have since bounced back and are beginning to find their groove. However, they have a lot of injury concerns, with Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz still missing. 

Jurgen Klopp’s side will also be without the defensive duo of Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk, who both represented their countries in the just-concluded World Cup in Qatar.

But in the duo’s absence, Liverpool will consider themselves able to overcome a Manchester City side they have beaten twice already this season. The Reds’ manager Jurgen Klopp has beaten his City counterpart Guardiola more times than any other living manager and should fancy his chances of masterminding another win at the Etihad. 

Possible Liverpool starting line-up

Caoimhin Kelleher; James Milner, Joel Matip, Joe Gomez, Andrew Robertson; Thiago Alcantara, Fabinho, Harvey Elliot; Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino. 

Injured: Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz

Doubtful: None 

Suspended: None 

Odds

Prediction

Manchester 2-1 Liverpool