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Manchester City logo
Premier League
Dec 26, 2013 at 5.30pm UK
 
Liverpool logo

2-1

Kompany (31'), Negredo (45')
FT(HT: 2-1)
Coutinho (24')

Preview: Manchester City vs. Liverpool

Sports Mole previews the mouth-watering Boxing Day top-of-the-table clash between Manchester City and Liverpool at the Etihad.

Manchester City host Liverpool in a mouth-watering top-of-the-table clash at the Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day.

City currently sit third in the Premier League table and could move top of the pile with a win depending on results elsewhere.

The hosts have been in unstoppable form at home this season, winning all eight of their league matches and only failing to score fewer than three goals in a game on one occasion.

Their results at the Etihad include a 4-1 win over Manchester United, a 6-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur and a 6-3 win over Arsenal in their latest outing in front of their own goal-spoiled fans.

Norwich have also been dispatched 7-0 and Newcastle hit for four on the way to a staggering 35 goals at home already this season, with just five conceded in that time.

Home and away, City are unbeaten in their last nine games and have been installed as the new favourites for the Premier League title following their emphatic victory over Arsenal.

It is not all good news for City, however, as they will be without top scorer Sergio Aguero and fan-favourite Pablo Zabaleta, meaning that Edin Dzeko and Gael Clichy are expected to start once again.

Manuel Pellegrini is also likely to keep faith in Joe Hart, who returned to Premier League action in the win over Fulham in City's last match.

While City's scoring statistics are intimidating, Liverpool are certainly not short of goals themselves this season. They have netted 42 times in the league so far, a tally only City can better.

In Luis Suarez they have arguably the most in-form player in world football right now, with the Uruguayan scoring 19 goals in just 12 appearances so far this season, including at least two goals in each of his last four matches.

The Reds currently sit top of the table, the first time that they have occupied that position at Christmas for five years, but they could end the day as low as fifth if results elsewhere go against them.

Brendan Rodgers's side thrashed Tottenham Hotspur 5-0 in their last away game, but that is their only win on their travels in their last five matches, a run that included a shock defeat to Hull City.

The visitors have a number of injury problems, with Jon Flanagan potentially joining Steven Gerrard, Daniel Sturridge, Jose Enrique and Sebastian Coates on the sidelines, leaving Liverpool with just 17 fit players for the festive period.

Recent form

Man City: WDWWWW

Liverpool: DLWWWW

Possible starting lineups

Man City: Hart; Clichy, Kompany, Demichelis, Kolarov; Fernandinho, Touré; Navas, Silva, Nasri; Negredo

Liverpool: Mignolet; Johnson, Sakho, Skrtel, Flanagan; Allen, Lucas, Henderson; Coutinho, Suarez, Sterling

Sports Mole says: 3-1


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 Brendan Rodgers, manager of Liverpool looks on during the Barclays Premier League match between Hull City and Liverpool at KC Stadium on December 1, 2013
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City36267391335885
2Arsenal36265588286083
3Liverpool36239481384378
4Aston Villa36207973532067
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs361961171591263
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle361761379572257
7Chelsea361691173611257
8Manchester UnitedMan Utd35166135255-354
9West Ham UnitedWest Ham371410135971-1252
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton361212125458-448
11Bournemouth37139155365-1248
12Crystal Palace371210155258-646
13Wolverhampton WanderersWolves37137175063-1346
14Fulham37128175159-844
15Everton37139153949-1040
16Brentford37109185461-739
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3789204766-1929
18Luton TownLuton3768235081-3126
RBurnley3759234076-3624
RSheffield UnitedSheff Utd37372735101-6616


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