Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium as titleholders
Manchester City bid to narrow the 10-point shortfall on leaders
Manchester United and visitors Liverpool strive to reduce their own 10
point gap separating the Merseyside club from the Champions League
places.
The points handicap has widened for both clubs this
weekend after Manchester United beat Fulham yesterday and Tottenham
Hotspur reinforced their grip on fourth place with a victory over West
Bromwich Albion this afternoon.
Mario Balotelli's departure for AC
Milan this week will mean fewer off-the-pitch headlines for Manchester
City players but some analysts think his exit leaves manager Roberto
Mancini with inadequate strike options.
Liverpool stalwart Stephen Gerrard
says their main aim will be to restrict Manchester City's strikers,
adding: "We know we have the players to cause them problems on the
counter attack."
Manchester City's Carlos Tevez (right) takes on Arsenal's Wojciech Szczesny at the Emirates last month. Welcome to AFP's Live Report on the Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium as titleholders Manchester City take on Liverpool.
Teams: Liverpool: Reina, Johnson,
Enrique, Agger, Carragher, Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson, Downing, Suarez,
Sturridge. Subs: Jones, Wisdom, Skrtel, Allen, Shelvey, Sterling,
Borini.
Man City: Hart, Zabaleta (C), Nastasic, Lescott, Clichy,
Milner, Garcia, Barry, Silva, Dzeko, Aguero. Subs: Pantilimon, Rodwell,
Kolarov, Sinclair, Nasri, Tevez, Maicon.
