Manchester City 0-2 Liverpool: Reds move 11 points clear in Premier League as Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai score
Premier League / Matchday 26
Etihad Stadium / 23.02.2025
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- M. Salah(14')
- D. Szoboszlai(37')
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Live Updates
Updated 23/02/2025 at 18:58 GMT
25'
CITY'S LACKING OPTIONS FROM THE BENCH
You feel it was Guardiola's intention to gain an early advantage, and use his subs to shore things up later on.
Pretty much all his firepower is on the pitch right now, with the out-of-form Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva and James McAtee sitting on the bench.
Should the score stay like this heading into the second half, it'll be interesting to see who Guardiola turns to.
22'
CITY LOOKING FOR A RESPONSE
And it seems to be the wide men causing the problems so far, Doku in particular looking lively.
City sweep it from side-to-side looking for an opening, and it's the Belgian's hard work and endeavour which wins the hosts a corner.
One which is quickly blasted away by the Premier League leaders.
18'
MIND-BLOWING NUMBERS
Just how does a player have 30 goals and 20 assists (all comps) by February? Simply unbelievable numbers from Liverpool's main man.
Honestly, there is no player in world football you could say is in finer form than this man right now.
14'
GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 0-1 LIVERPOOL (SALAH)
Were we ever in doubt? It's that man again, eight consecutive matches in which he has hit the back of the net, and there's just absolutely no let up from the Liverpool star.
It's a well-worked one, as Alexander-Arnold's low corner catches the hosts out, with Szoboszlai getting the most minute of touches to flick into the path of Salah, who had wriggled free to send a deflected effort soaring into Ederson's goal.
12'
FINE MARGINS
De Bruyne excellently finds Savinho with a long ball down the right, and suddenly there's a real opportunity for City, and Marmoush and Foden are charging into the box.
But the Brazilian's attempt to feed in the killer ball falls short, as it just rolls into the body of the recovering Konate.
A bit more purchase on that and it was surely an effort at goal.
Meanwhile, down the other end, Khusanov does really well to get a block on Salah's effort, after the Liverpool talisman surged into the box from the right.
9'
NICE ENOUGH FROM CITY
Man City's movement is causing the odd issue for the visitors, and Marmoush looks really lively.
He does excellently well to win the ball back and get it out to Doku, before receiving it back and unleashing a fierce strike which cannons off Konate.
It falls back into City feet, and it worked to Foden, who had drifted ahead of Konate, and he shifts it onto his left before firing a tame effort into the gloves of Alisson.
The home fans will be fairly encouraged by what they've seen in the opening 10 minutes.
4'
DOKU THAT'S NAUGHTY
He skins Alexander-Arnold twice in quick succession, but can't find anything ahead of him.
But when he works it back, a lovely ball in behind the Liverpool right-back sees Doku again charge forward and find Marmoush who is rushing into the box.
The Egyptian forward can't carve anything out of that one though.
3'
SLACK FROM GVARDIOL
The left-back play a really poor pass and Jones latches onto it, feeding Szboloszlai, but the midfielder's long-range effort is blocked.
Marmoush now leads the charge forward, but Liverpool recover well.
City keep hold of it, and work it out to De Bruyne on the right, whose teasing ball is thumped behind by Konate for a corner.
It's recycled for another attempt, but this time held by Alisson.
16:30
UNDERWAY!
Let's 'av it!
16:29
THE TEAMS ARE OUT
And we're moments away from kick-off. Looking forward to this one.
16:27
A REMINDER
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16:25
SLOT ALSO MAKES INTRIGUING CHOICE
There's no recognised 'No. 9'-type striker up top for Liverpool this afternoon.
Slot's side will - inevitably - be fluid at ever up top. But with Salah and Diaz presumably starting out wide, the onus will likely fall onto Szoboszlai and Jones in the central role.
Jota, Nunez and Gakpo are all on the bench, so the Dutchman certainly has scope to change things up if not going to plan.
But it's certainly all set up to be an intriguing clash, with City going gung-ho with an attacking line-up, while also trialing Khusanov and Ake as a central defensive partnership for the first time.
16:20
IS GUARDIOLA CHANGING APPROACH?
With De Bruyne and Foden as typically forward-thinking midfielders, Savinho and Doku clearly on the flanks and Marmoush up top, Guardiola certainly does not seem to be bowing to the pressure of Liverpool's danger.
Nico Gonzalez will be looking to prop up the midfield, with Guardiola interestingly opting to leave Ilkay Gundogan and and Mateo Kovacic on the bench.
Could they be over-run in the middle? Guardiola told Sky Sports ahead of kick-off that he hopes to "control the game through the ball" with players who can create a "threat".
"I try to score goals, maybe more offensive players, less midfield players, maybe it's good because we try to control the game through the ball. At least try to make a threat, good runners, and hopefully we can find our pace in the right moments to attack them, and create a problem which we know Liverpool is going to create.
16:15
GUARDIOLA ON HAALAND'S ABSENCE
The City boss spoke to Sky Sports ahead of kick-off about the absence of his key man up top, and confirmed the decision was made yesterday to keep him out of the squad for the visit of Liverpool.
"Yesterday after training he didn't feel good," Guardiola said.
"During these nine years we played many seasons without really important players and we survived.
"This season, we have had a lot of injuries and we could not survive, but in specific games we have to do it."
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16:10
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE TITLE RACE?
Arsenal looked to finally have a chance to seize some ground in the Premier League title race, as Liverpool began to stutter with four points dropped in three Premier League matches - drawing against Everton and Aston Villa.
But Mikel Arteta's side, albeit hampered by significant injury woes, failed to capitalise yesterday, falling to a disappointing 1-0 defeat against West Ham.
And that could land Liverpool in an extremely advantageous spot - should they pick up three points against City this afternoon.
An 11-point lead would surely be insurmountable at this point in the season. And while Liverpool have looked somewhat nervy in recent weeks, they still do not look capable of a complete capitulation.
It certainly won't be easy for Arne Slot's side this afternoon, but a trip to the home of the Premier League champions is, right now, somewhat less intimidating than in other recent seasons.
16:05
TOP FOUR WOULD BE 'UNBELIEVABLE' FOR CITY
City boss Guardiola has endured his toughest season yet since his move to The Etihad, and after crashing out of the UEFA Champions League, as well as a stumble down the Premier League table earlier in the campaign, he now feels a top-four finish would be a "big achievement".
"100% for sure it will be a big achievement. [It would be] unbelievable," he said. "I’m incredibly positive [we will do it]. I’m an incredibly positive person. I always see the bright side of the situation.
"I’m not saying I’m stupid to see the reality of what it is, but, I’m positive.
"Still, we have three months ahead of us and the target to qualify for the Champions League for next season to be there.
"Of course we’re going to try. It would be a big success.
"In my mindset, I can think we will do it or will not do it. And I think we will do it. And after that, the reality will dictate who we are as a team right now."
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Guardiola says top-four finish would be 'unbelievable' for Man City
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16:00
MUCH MORE SETTLED FOR LIVERPOOL
Just the one change from their 2-2 draw with Aston Villa in the week, as Luis Diaz comes in for Diogo Jota.
Cody Gakpo, who was a doubt for the trip to the Premier League champions, is good enough for the bench.
15:55
HAALAND NOT IN CITY SQUAD
The clear headline here: No Erling Haaland. He was a doubt for the match, and is not even named on the bench for today's huge clash. So Omar Marmoush will be leading from the front today.
It looks like an attacking line-up for the hosts, Phil Foden, Savinho and Jeremy Doku making up the remainder of the attack, and Kevin De Bruyne sitting in midfield alongside Nico Gonzalez.
Another tough test lies in store for Abdukodir Khusanov. Since joining City in January, he's had to try and contain Chelsea, Newcastle and Real Madrid. He now starts alongside Nathan Ake, with Ruben Dias on the bench.
15:50
BUMPER WEEK OF PL ACTION COMING UP ON TNT SPORTS!
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15:45
GOOD AFTERNOON!
Even more Premier League action coming your way, and it doesn't get much better than this!
The top-flight champions take on the current leaders, and Arne Slot's side could establish a super comfortable cushion at the league's summit with victory at The Etihad.
City, fresh off the disappointment of their crushing UEFA Champions League exit to Real Madrid, will look to plant their feet firmly in the top four, with Newcastle set to land level on points with Pep Guardiola's side - currently leading Nottingham Forest.
It's certainly all to play for, and we'll be bringing you every moment - so stay tuned! Team news coming up.
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