A blockbuster Premier League title showdown awaits when Liverpool welcomes Manchester City to Anfield on Sunday.
With Liverpool leading the way at the top, you feel if there is a winner in this fixture, then it will provide them with a huge boost during this final title run-in.
Mohamed Salah has returned to action for the Reds and Paul Merson has claimed that, if he starts, then Liverpool will win the contest, as he told Soccer Special on Sky Sports (06/03/24 at 7:10 pm).
Manchester City recorded a 3-1 win over Manchester United over the weekend, but it didn’t come after Marcus Rashford’s stunning long-range opener.
Just now and again, the away side were hitting the Treble winners on the counter and targeting those acres of space in-behind the defence.
But Man United didn’t have the quality to cause many issues, something Paul Merson thinks will change against Liverpool and Mohamed Salah.
The former Arsenal and Aston Villa player thinks the Egypt star is ‘world-class’ and ‘the best runner without the ball in the world’.
Will Mohamed Salah start for Liverpool against Manchester City?
“I am not saying it’s a one-man team, I just think he needs to play,” said Merson. “I just think he is world-class. He is one of the best players in the world.
“You look a Man City, one of their achilles heel is going to be down the left with Doku and Ake. I felt Ake fell asleep a couple of times against Man United – Salah is the best runner without the ball in the world. I think he will be a threat. I think if Salah plays, I just think they win, if he doesn’t, then I am not sure they win the game, but with him playing, then I would be quite shocked if they didn’t win.
“With Salah playing, it gives them the advantage to really go and press high. They all know when to press when Salah is playing, if he doesn’t play, then I think they drop off.
“I don’t think Diaz is going to be enough of a threat to cause Man City problems, you need more than that and I think with Salah playing you get that, then you have Diaz, Salah and Nunez. That’s when you look at it and think, I don’t know how Man City cope with them.”
Manchester City’s record at Anfield
Pep Guardiola has dominated wherever he has gone, but the Anfield stage is one where he has struggled to prove his worth.
The Spanish coach has only won once in Liverpool’s backyard during his time in the Premier League – and that was during the COVID season.
That point was highlighted by Jamie Carragher when he was aiming jibes at Micah Richards ahead of the weekend’s contest.
You feel it would be unbelievably huge if Man City, given their record, were to win at Liverpool because, regardless of what Arsenal do, it makes them instant favourites to become the first team to win four titles in a row.
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