Manchester City (1st) will go to Liverpool’s (4th) field on Sunday to play a match that could serve for the consummation of the handover of power in England, if the Premier League leader, in top form, prevails against the current champions, some ‘Reds’ weighed down by injuries.
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Jurgen Klopp’s pupils are in a delicate moment after conceding two defeats in five Premier matches, while the ‘Citizens’ enter matchday 23 in their best form, with nine consecutive victories in the English championship, and thirteen between all competitions since mid-December.
Pep Guardiola’s men are seven points ahead of Liverpool (and one game less), making them face a duel at Anfield with less pressure in which they could see their bid for a seventh national crown greatly strengthened.
The ‘Reds’ also live with uncertainty about whether they will be able to play their first leg of the Champions League round of 16 on February 16, on the field of RB Leipzig, after the ban on arrivals in Germany due to the covid-19 pandemic.
Lacking especially behind Joël Matip and Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool reinforced the defensive sector ‘in extremis’ on Monday with the arrivals of Ben Davies, from Preston North End, and Turkish Ozan Kabak, on loan from Schalke.
Currently second classified three points behind their neighbors, despite a discreet start to the season, Manchester United has not yet had their last word.
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Despite playing at home, the ‘Red Devils’ will not have it easy on Saturday against Everton, Liverpool’s other club, which occupies seventh place, eight points behind them but with two games less.
On Sunday, Leicester, third, travels to Wolverhampton (14th), with the aim of reinforcing their position on the podium.
Surprising fifth, West Ham will have big ambitions in the London derby against Fulham on Saturday in relegation places.
Chelsea (6th), led by Thomas Tuchel, will try to move closer to qualifying for the next Champions League as they visit last Sunday, Sheffield United, who have just three wins in 22 games.
Arsenal (19th) and Mikel Arteta will visit a direct rival, Aston Villa (9th) on Saturday, while the great rival of the ‘Gunners’, José Mourinho’s Tottenham (8th), must beat West Bromwich on Sunday (19th).
