Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola have met the media ahead of their epic clash tomorrow night, a match that is as big as one single game can be. Guardiola maintains that no one trusts his team right now to get the result given the lackluster form they have shown during parts of December.
City was undefeated domestically, until the loss at Chelsea on December 15. They have since been beaten by Crystal Palace and Leicester City. With his side having fallen to third, the Spaniard believes that Liverpool is now the team to beat, declaring them the best in Europe.
“I know today nobody trusts us but it is what it is,” Guardiola said.
“(Liverpool) are in the moment the best team in Europe, in the consistency, the way they control the details in their game. We are going to focus on what we have to do to win the game. Everyone is talking as if we lose, but we can win.”
“The reality is clear so we have seven points down so it will be the second game of the second leg (of the Premier League campaign), so there a lot of points to play for. I have the feeling it is a big opportunity for us to reduce the gap. My focus is the same.”
“Everybody is asking what will happen if we lose, but what will happen if we win? It is our chance to fight for the Premier League.”
Guardiola also said that his all-world midfielder Kevin De Bruyne could be ready to Thursday night.
“He trained today but tomorrow [Wednesday] we need another check in the morning but he is much better,” Guardiola said at the news conference.
Liverpool at Manchester City FYIs
Kick-off: 8:00 pm (BST), 3:00 pm (EST) Thursday January 3, City of Manchester Stadium
Google Result Probability: Manchester City win- 47%, Draw 26%, Liverpool win- 27%
Odds via Bet365: Manchester City 21/20, draw 29/10, Liverpool 5/2
Recent form: Liverpool- WWWWWW Manchester City- WLWLLW
Liverpool starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Manchester City starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Injury report for both teams: go to this link
Prediction: City 2, Liverpool 2
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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