Manchester City and Liverpool Face Off Amid Injury Woes: Who’s In and Who’s Out?
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and Arne Slot’s Liverpool are set to clash at Anfield this afternoon (4 PM kick-off) in a high-stakes Premier League showdown. Both teams are grappling with significant injury issues that could see up to 12 key players sidelined for this pivotal match.
City arrive on the back of a six-game winless streak, while Liverpool are in scintillating form, leading both the Premier League and Champions League. The gap between the two sides currently stands at eight points, but a Liverpool victory would widen it to 11.
Manchester City Injury Updates
- Ruben Dias
After making the bench for City’s midweek 3-3 draw with Feyenoord, Dias could feature at Anfield. However, a starting role seems unlikely. - Mateo Kovacic
The Croatian midfielder remains sidelined after picking up an injury during Nations League duty. Guardiola confirmed he’ll be out for “maybe a month.” - John Stones
Stones is nearing a return but is unlikely to start against Liverpool. - Jeremy Doku
Nursing a thigh injury, the explosive winger is expected to miss the trip to Anfield. - Rodri
The Spaniard is recovering from an ACL injury sustained in September. On the Rest is Football podcast, Rodri stated, “My aim is to be back in six or seven months.” - Oscar Bobb
The youngster remains out due to a pre-season leg injury, with Guardiola revealing he’s targeting a January or February return.
Liverpool Injury Updates
- Diogo Jota
The Portuguese forward hasn’t returned to full training after a chest injury sustained against Chelsea. - Alisson
Liverpool’s first-choice goalkeeper is back in training after a hamstring injury but is unlikely to be risked today. - Kostas Tsimikas
The Greek full-back is still sidelined with an ankle injury. - Ibrahima Konate
The defender suffered a knee injury in the 2-0 win over Real Madrid. On Instagram, Konate wrote, “So frustrating to pick up this injury… I will come back and be the best I can be once again.” - Conor Bradley
The 21-year-old remains a doubt after picking up an issue against Madrid. Slot admitted, “Still being assessed… It’s never a good sign.” - Federico Chiesa
The Italian forward has participated in parts of training but is not yet ready for a full return.
High Stakes at Anfield
With so many key players absent, tactical adjustments will be crucial for both Guardiola and Slot. The result could significantly impact the Premier League title race, with Liverpool looking to solidify their position at the top and City desperate to stay in contention.
The confirmed starting line-ups will be revealed around 2:45 PM (UK time). All eyes are on Anfield as two of football’s heavyweights collide.
