Manchester City are in need of points in order to catch up with the EPL table leaders Arsenal. They’re trailing eight points behind the Gunners, but they got one game in hand. And the game in question is the one against Liverpool on Saturday.
Oddsmakers think they’re going to do it, but the result of the game could depend a lot on whether their scoring leader Erling Haaland plays or not. Right now, his fitness situation is described as “touch and go.”
Manchester City vs. Liverpool Odds
| Moneyline | Odds |
|---|---|
| Manchester City | -175 |
| Draw | +300 |
| Liverpool | +425 |
| Goals Total | Odds |
|---|---|
| Over 2.5 | -161 |
| Under 2.5 | +129 |
*Odds taken from bet365 on Monday, March 27, 2023.
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: Etihad Arena in Manchester, England
- Date: Saturday, April 1, 2023
- Time: 7:30 AM ET
- How to Watch: Peacock
Manchester City Hoping to Continue Their Super Run
Pep Guardiola’s men are undefeated since February 5, and are cruising on a six-game win streak in all competitions. What’s impressive is that they won their last five games without conceding a goal. What’s even more impressive is that they scored 13 goals in their last two outings.
Eight of those 13 goals were the work of Erling Haaland, Man City’s best player this season. The guy’s been a killer in front of the opposition goal with 42 goals in all competitions in the sky blue jersey. He’s also been fantastic playing for the Norway national team, scoring 6 goals in the 6 games of the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League.
Haaland was supposed to play for his national team last week, but he got injured during practice. A few days later, it’s still not clear whether he’ll be cleared to play on Saturday. According to his dad, Erling is “touch and go,” meaning that even if we see him on the pitch, he might not be able to give his 100%.
Liverpool Going All-In on the Premier League
The Champions League, FA Cup, EFL Cup – the Reds are out of all those competitions. What this means is that the Premier League is the only competition they’re still in. But they’re not doing great in the EPL either. They’re 12-6-8 so far, with 22 points fewer than the table leaders.
There’s no way they can win the title this season, but they can at least get to the top 4 and qualify for the next season’s Champions League. They’re 7 points behind the team that’s sitting in the No. 4 position (Tottenham), but they have two games fewer.
That said, Jurgen Klopp’s men do have a decent chance to get there, but for that to happen, they need to switch to the top gear ASAP. Their recent form is dreadful, with their most recent EPL outing seeing them lose 1-0 to Bournemouth, the team sitting just a spot above the very bottom.
On the bright side, the Reds no longer have too big problems with injuries. Sure, there are a couple of notable absentees (e.g., Luis Diaz, Thiago, etc.), but most of their other key men are 100% fit.
Manchester City vs. Liverpool Prediction
Our prediction is that this is going to be one hell of a game. Both teams have so much talent on the roaster, not to mention that they’re both very hungry for points. We should see plenty of goals on Saturday, especially if Haaland gets to play. Still, even without him, Man City should be able to beat Liverpool at home.
Pick: Manchester City to win & over 2.5 goals