What does Manchester City have to do to catch up with Liverpool at Anfield?

Manchester City face Liverpool in a massive Premier League game at Anfield today. Pep Guardiola’s side face Arne Slot’s top team, who are out of form and appear to be lacking confidence. But every game is won and lost on the pitch and if the World Cup winner can get a result today it could give them the momentum they need to get their season back on track.

It will be a tough game in a place where Manchester City traditionally doesn’t play well. But I’m speaking in an interview mancity.comPhil believes that today’s game is a must-win. Speaking about today’s game, Foden said: “When you play in a Man City shirt there are expectations – I don’t think it’s any different when you go to Anfield on Sunday. Just because the latest results weren’t right doesn’t change much. We have to go there and win. It’s a must-win game – we have to think like that. Football is a funny old game and anything can happen. It’s still early – Liverpool look strong and it looks like they won’t drop many points. We’ll see what happens.”

Following Phil Foden’s statement that today’s game is a must-win game, here are three key areas for today’s game in my opinion that could help Manchester City get a result at Anfield against the Premier League leaders .

Be defensively organized and avoid costly mistakes on defense.

In their six-game winless streak, Manchester City have conceded 17 goals in those six games. That is a deplorable defensive record. Manchester City were too easy to break and that cost them. If anything sums up Manchester City’s defensive woes, it is the image below. That’s the high defensive line that was available for Feyenoord’s third goal in City’s 3-1 draw at the Etihad on Tuesday. Everything that went wrong defensively can be seen in the image below.

Today Pep Guardiola’s team needs to be better organized at the back. If they aren’t, Liverpool could make the World Cup winners pay a heavy price. Liverpool’s attack appears ideally placed to exploit one of Manchester City’s biggest weaknesses. The pace of Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz, for example, poses a massive threat to City’s weaknesses. Add that to their quality and the threat of Liverpool’s attack will play a big role in today’s game.

Whoever starts in Manchester City’s defense today has to be in a good mood. Mistakes like those that recently plagued Josko Gvardiol must be kept to a minimum. Whoever starts today from Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, Kyle Walker and Rico Lewis will have to do their best at the back. The quality is there. It’s time for City’s defense to play with the solidarity they are known for. That is their challenge today and could prove crucial to today’s outcome.

Take control of the midfield battle.

The battle in midfield today at Anfield could decide today’s game. Arne Slot’s team has a lot of quality in midfield. Whoever starts slot in midfield can dictate today’s game. With options like Alexis MacAlister, Ryan Gravenbach, Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai to name a few, today’s hosts boast a formidable midfield. They also play a little differently than City were used to when Liverpool were coached by Jurgen Klopp. But for me, Manchester City’s midfielders have to pass today.

Ilkay Gündogan is the key player for Manchester City today. He will play an important role in City’s midfield. I expect him to start and be tasked with controlling today’s game from the city’s perspective. To win the midfield battle, I think Matheus Nunes needs to start at Anfield. His play complements that of Gündogan and against Feyenoord, before Gündogan was substituted, the pair showed signs of being able to form a partnership in midfield. If they can do it today it could go a long way towards helping Manchester City win today.

Whoever starts next to them in midfield will play a crucial role. Be it Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva or Phil Foden, they need to match the energy of Liverpool’s midfield. If they can do that, they could well decide today’s game.

Take advantage of opportunities when they arise.

Another problem that has plagued Manchester City recently is their failure to take advantage of their chances. Erling Haaland has scored goals, but has also missed several chances recently. He missed several goals in City’s 4-0 defeat to Tottenham last weekend, which would have given Manchester City the impetus to continue the game at the Etihad last Saturday.

That can’t happen today. When Haaland is presented with good opportunities, he has to take advantage of them. He also needs support today. Liverpool are strong at the back and that has been clear all season. So it can’t be Haaland or a bankruptcy today. Players like Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne, Savinho, Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva have to help City’s top scorer today. If they do that, they will give Liverpool’s defense something completely different to think about.

Summary.

Manchester City will go into today’s game with their backs against the wall. Liverpool are rightly favorites for today’s game. But if the world champion can get the three areas listed above right, it could help him secure a decisive victory today. That is the challenge Pep Guardiola’s side must face if they want to be successful at Anfield today.