Paul Merson warns one side ‘could get blown away’ as he predicts Liverpool vs Man City
Paul Merson has suggested that one side could be “blown away” when Liverpool host Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday.
The Reds will be eager to make amends for the emphatic 3-0 defeat they suffered at the Etihad three months ago, and they head into the clash in confident mood after emphatic victories over Qarabag and Newcastle. Those results have helped Arne Slot’s team build some welcome momentum.
Manchester City also come into the weekend on the back of a confidence-boosting result, having beaten Newcastle to book their place in the Carabao Cup final during midweek. However, depending on other results, Pep Guardiola’s men could be as many as nine points behind league leaders Arsenal by the time kick-off arrives on Merseyside.
Merson outlines Liverpool v Man City prediction
Writing in his latest Premier League predictions column for Sportskeeda, Merson explained why he expects Liverpool to gain revenge for their November defeat in Manchester.
“I’d be amazed if Liverpool lost this game,” Merson wrote. “They’ve responded really well since conceding that late winner against Bournemouth. Scoring 10 goals across their last two matches shows how sharp they are going forward.
“Manchester City always concede chances. If you just looked at their results without watching the games, you might think they’re cruising, but in reality they give up opportunity after opportunity.
“Liverpool are ruthless in front of goal, while City look disorganised defensively. At Anfield, they could easily be blown away.
“Liverpool’s attack is firing, with Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Mohamed Salah all in great form. City might have Rayan Cherki, but Liverpool have three genuine match-winners operating together in their front line.”
Merson went on to predict a 3-1 home victory, adding: “If the game turns into an end-to-end contest, Liverpool will pull clear.
“City need to win. Even a draw would effectively end the title race because Arsenal would still be eight points clear. I think this weekend will settle it, with Liverpool coming out on top.”
Liverpool v Man City shaping up to be goal-filled contest
Merson’s confidence in a Liverpool win contrasts sharply with predictions from Peter Crouch and Chris Sutton, both of whom have backed a 2-2 draw, highlighting just how difficult this fixture is to call.
While the developing partnership between Wirtz and Ekitike has added an extra edge to Liverpool’s attack, the defeat at Bournemouth two weeks ago showed there are still weaknesses that a side of City’s quality could exploit.
That said, Guardiola’s team have also raised concerns in recent weeks. They surrendered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with a struggling Tottenham last weekend, and their derby loss to Manchester United was widely criticised for its lack of intensity.
Given the attacking talent on display and defensive injury issues affecting both squads, this fixture has all the ingredients for a high-scoring encounter.
It’s a notoriously hard match to predict, but with Liverpool’s firepower up front and the intensity of a packed Anfield under the lights, the hope is that the Reds can just edge it and claim a statement win as they push for Champions League qualification.
