Robbie Slater and Simon Hill argue why Liverpool or Manchester City will win on Sunday
IT’S the match that will stop the football world - Liverpool v Manchester City. Robbie Slater and Simon Hill argue their teams’ chances.
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IT’S the game that could decide the Barclays Premier League.
Liverpool v Manchester City.
Watch it live and in HD on Fox Sports 2 from 10.37pm EST, with a pre-game show from 10pm with Adam Peacock, Mark Bosnich and Robbie Slater.
Who will prevail?
Fox Sports’ resident Liverpool and Manchester City fans Slater and Simon Hill take up the debate.
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‘GERRARD V TOURE TO DECIDE THE CONTEST’
Why Liverpool will win, by Robbie Slater
FIVE games to go. On top. Manchester City, at Anfield.
It’s all in Liverpool’s hands. Brendan Rodgers’s side is in the drivers’ seat. This is our best chance to break a 24 year title drought.
Sunday night’s showdown between Liverpool and Manchester City will come down to a gun fight – both teams love to play open, attacking football. It’s the big difference between them and Chelsea, the third contender for the Premier League crown.
But while a lot of focus will be on the likes of Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge, Edin Dzeko, Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo, for me, there’s one battle that could prove decisive: Steven Gerrard v Yaya Toure in the middle of the park.
I think their influence will be massive: two huge characters, two major influences on their teams. Whoever can win that battle and dictate the tempo of the game will largely decide who will go on and win it.
Then, after that, it’s all about the front players cashing in.
Liverpool’s last real stumble in the league came in the Christmas period, when the side faced City and Chelsea in the space of a few days, pipped narrowly both times.
It was a massive test then, which they somewhat failed – but what a recovery since then, nine straight wins. It’s the best run in the EPL since Manchester United recorded 11 consecutive victories in 2008-2009
We’ve got the same scenario now, but with a big difference: both games are on our home turf.
Anfield will be emotion charged on the weekend – even more so because of the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.
It would be fitting to win, and then march onto the trophy.
It’s been too long since the last title. Who would’ve thought – Liverpool fans, or even fans of our fiercest rivals – that Liverpool would go so long without a title.
The club had a chance in 2008-2009 under Rafa Benitez, when they should have won.
We’ve been saying all year that making the top four was the realistic, proper goal. Well, we didn’t talk about the title – but who are we kidding; we were thinking about it! We just didn’t want to say it!
Now, we can’t pretend anymore; Liverpool fans can’t – and aren’t – playing down expectations. We’re happy with where we are at, but let’s be brutally honest: the end of the drought and the return to the summit is what’s in the back of everybody’s minds.
And it all starts on Sunday night.
WEEKEND FOOTBALL ON FOX SPORTS
Saturday night/Sunday morning, 12.07am EST kick-off
Fox Sports 1: Fulham v Norwich
Viewers’ Choice: Crystal Palace v Aston Villa, Southampton v Cardiff, Sunderland v Everton, West Brom v Tottenham
Fox Sports News: Stoke v Newcastle
Sunday morning, 5.55am: Fox Sports 2: Real Madrid v Almeria
Sunday night, 10.37pm: Fox Sports 2: Liverpool v Manchester City
Monday morning, 1.07am: Fox Sports 2: Swansea v Chelsea
Monday morning, 2.55am: Fox Sports 1: Getafe v Atletico Madrid
‘LIVERPOOL NEED TO WIN, AND WE’LL EXPLOIT THAT’
Why Manchester City will win, by Simon Hill
Both teams love to attack - while neither is particularly adept at trying to defend. Therefore, the key to this game will be how the other team handles the striking threat.
City’s main men on Sunday will therefore be Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure and Fernandinho. Between them, they will be expected to keep Luis Suarez quiet, and cut off the supply lines to both the Uruguayan, and Danny Sturridge. For all the talk of City’s porous defence (not without justification at times), it is still the second best in the Premier League behind Chelsea in terms of goals conceded.
Toure in particular, normally lifts for the really big games (although he can, on occasion, seem disinterested in the lesser matches), and I expect him to do so again. His partnership with Fernandinho is arguably the best in the country.
City’s other bonuses are the form of David Silva, and the availability of Sergio Aguero. Having hit 84 goals with only sporadic input from their influential Argentine, it’s a fair bet that his return will be of concern to Brendan Rodgers. Manuel Pellegrini’s only dilemma is whether to start both him, and the in-form Edin Dzeko.
My guess is, he’ll leave one of them on the bench - the Chilean learned from bitter experience (Bayern Munich at home) that allowing an opposition team to overload in midfield has dire consequences.
He should be more circumspect for this one - a draw leaves it in City’s hands remember - but with Liverpool having the greater need, City should be able to exploit the Reds rather leakier defence, and pinch it.
Want more EPL talk? Have a listen to the Fox Football Podcast with Adam Peacock, Simon Hill, Sasa Ognenovski and Daniel Garb.
And if you want to join the boys for some football fun, you can! Thursday night at Paragon Hotel in Circular Quay, Sydney, for a live podcast! Tickets here
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