Alisson Becker and Mateo Kovacic are 10 injured stars for Liverpool vs Man City: planned lineups and how to follow

Liverpool have the chance to move 11 points clear of Premier League champions Manchester City when the teams meet this weekend.

The title rivals are in complete opposite form in their last meeting, but the Reds have struggled to improve. pep guardiola in recent times.

Liverpool They are the only team to have prevented City from winning seven consecutive Premier League titles with their 2020 triumph.

The Merseysiders can take a big step towards doing so again by beating the champions at Anfield and moving 11 points clear at the top.

However, Liverpool have won just one of their last nine Premier League games against City. Jurgen Kloppis superior head to head record against Guardiola came mainly through cup competitions.

The latter also has many reasons to be cautious, especially since his team has lost its last five consecutive games.

Guardiola also has a miserable record at Anfield, with his only win coming in nine visits without fans in the COVID era in February 2021.

Liverpool vs Man City: how to follow

This Premier League clash will take place on Sunday, December 1.

The start at Anfield is no later than 4 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League.

talkSPORT will also keep you up to date with the latest news and reaction. Meanwhile, talkSPORT.com will have live updates from the game on our dedicated live blog.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 via the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen through the talkSPORT appon DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

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Liverpool

Arne Slot He faces arguably the toughest team selection for his first managerial meeting with the Premier League's best manager.

The Dutchman is sweating over the fitness of his number one goalkeeper, his second captain and the centre-forward with whom he started the season.

Alicia Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnoldand Diogo Jota They all suffered injuries before the international break, but are getting closer to their returns.

Speaking on Friday, Slot was asked if the trio could be involved against City and said: “The only thing I can say is that with Alisson and Jota, I don't expect them to be available for that game. With Trent, he's going to be in the middle.”

Alisson is yet to play for the Reds since suffering a hamstring injury in Liverpool's 1-0 win over Crystal Palace at the beginning of October.

The Brazilian has missed more than 40 games due to various physical problems in the last five seasons, and the club will be careful to rush him back, especially in such a high-profile game.

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Caoimhin Kelleher has impressed in his absence and will seek to leave a marker for the Erling Haaland.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk He has formed a solid partnership with Ibrahima Konate up front, but doubts remain in the side.

Alexander-Arnold, who scored in the 1-1 draw at the Etihad last year, has had a strange run of injuries when City visit Anfield.

The England star has played just one minute of action during Guardiola's last three trips to Liverpool due to injury and has not started a home Premier League match against them since the Spaniard's only victory in 2021.

If that strange curse continues for a fourth season, Conor Bradley is expected to replace, with Joe Gomez an alternative option.

Gomez, who was man of the match in Liverpool's last win over City at Anfield in 2022, could also be needed on the opposite flank.

Kostas Tsimikas missed the 3-2 comeback Southampton with a minor problem and will probably return having usurped Andy Robertson.

Scotland Captain robertson made another high-profile mistake on the south coast after conceding a penalty and, having already endured a torrid moment against Bukayo Saka last month, it would be very unpleasant to face dangerous City players.

Dominik Szoboszlai entered the minutes on Sunday, but may be withdrawn to allow Alexis Mac Allister to join Ryan Gravenberg.

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Curtis Jones – WHO has been reborn under Slot – would then be pushed forward into a defensive number 10 role that he operated so successfully in his Outstanding scoring performance against Chelsea.

Mohamed Salah He is a permanent fixture on the right of Liverpool's attack, but the remaining two positions are still up for grabs.

It is expected that Luis Díaz can serve as a false nine against real Madrid in the middle of the week to combat the physique of Antonio Rudiger and company. similarly to your treble at home against Bayer Leverkusen last month.

The Colombian, who was incorrectly linked with summer move to Cityran rings around Kyle Walker in March.

This will probably be the deciding factor in turning left before Cody Gakpo to do it again, with Darwin Núñez's raw pace being a vital advantage on the counterattack.

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city ​​man

Guardiola finds himself in unprecedented waters after losing five consecutive games in all competitions for the first time in his coaching career.

the first Barcelona and Bayern Munich The coach will be forced to make some changes after the 4-0 defeat against Spurs.

Juan PiedrasThe season stop-start continued with a duration of just 45 minutes on Saturday, in its first appearance since the Carabao Cup defeat to Ange Postecoglou's team last month.

The England international, whose goal put City ahead at Anfield earlier this year, was replaced at half-time by Nathan Ake.

Ake's defensive qualities may be needed on the left to help keep Salah calm, while Guardiola is desperate for the return of Ruben Dias.

The Portuguese was injured in the same cup defeat to Tottenham, as Stones and the City defense have conceded 12 goals in the last four without him, eight of which in just half of those games.

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Walker fought again when he faced his old side last time with Timo Werner He raced past him to score Tottenham's fourth goal.

The 34-year-old remains City's captain and Guardiola is unlikely to take him out of the firing line for such a high-profile away game.

Rico Lewis He may have to compete for a substitute role unless there is a need to invest from the left as he did with England if Dias is not fit to partner. Manuel Akanji then Ake moves centrally.

Either way, the 20-year-old surely won't be in the middle considering Slot's array of powerful midfielders.

Lewis only won 33 per cent of his tackles and 55 per cent of his running duels against Spurs, where he played at the Etihad.

Instead, Kevin De Bruynewho has four goals and seven assists in 13 games against Liverpool in the Premier League, will take his place alongside Bernard Silva.

Ilkay Gundogan may receive greater protection after having struggled to fill the void left by RodriThe serious knee injury, with the second option. Matthew Kovacic also marginalized.

Jeremy Doku and Jack GrealishSavinho's physical condition problems and Phil Foden They will maintain their positions in the band despite their struggles.

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Haaland He is still waiting for his first goal at Anfield since joining City, but comes into the game in a rare period of poor form.

Guardiola refused to attribute the Norwegian's recent drought to his team's losing streak, saying: “We have four or five wingers, but we only had one. Phil was excellent in that position, but he struggled at first with problems and little things. Kevin has been hurt.

“That is the reality and we have to adapt. I would say that the reason for our lack of goals is not Erling Haaland. Without Erling, we'd be in even more trouble! We're lucky to have Erling. In each game he has three or four opportunities. One day marks two or three.”

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