Attention turns to the all-Premier League Carling Cup semi-final clash on Wednesday as Liverpool look to maintain their slender advantage over big-spending Manchester City, with the two sides having endured mixed fortunes of late.
The Reds of course secured a 1-0 lead through Steven Gerrard’s penalty in the first leg at the Etihad Stadium two weeks ago, which inflicted a second successive home defeat on Roberto Mancini’s men following their FA Cup loss to Manchester United.
The result was perhaps particularly surprising as the Citizens had cruised to a 3-0 victory over Liverpool in the Premier League fixture just before those two Cup shocks.
Mancini’s squad though has recovered and will be going into Wednesday’s fixture after edging to a nervy 1-0 win at Wigan before an injury-time penalty sealed three points against Spurs to maintain their three-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
The way the season has gone, there will be those who believe 13/8 on the country’s big spenders to win away is too big to ignore as they have demonstrated their capabilities on the road this season, winning 5-1 at Spurs and 6-1 at Manchester United.
However, those results were some time ago and City have been beaten at Sunderland as well as being held at West Brom recently, failing to score in both. Furthermore, they are travelling to a venue where they have a particularly poor record.
It has been nine years since City last won at Anfield and although there has been a financial revolution in the blue half of Manchester since then, Mancini’s star-studded line-up was held 1-1 there earlier this season and were trounced 3-0 last term.
Backing Liverpool at 13/8 is certainly taking a chance though, given the Reds’ abject performance at Bolton at the weekend. This led to boss Kenny Dalglish publicly criticising his players – some of which, of course, he brought to the club following his return to the hot seat.
It has to be expected that – whoever is selected – the Reds will not play as badly again but as they do not have to score to book a Wembley appearance, Dalglish may look to be solid at the back first, given the ease with which Bolton were able to score three goals on Saturday (draw 23/10 in the match betting).
There are some key absentees from both sides in this fixture as well, with the Toure brothers missing for City along with captain Vincent Kompany, who serves the last game of his four-match ban.
It has yet to be confirmed whether the Eastlands outfit will contest the FA charge Sunday’s match-winner is facing, although it is debatable whether Mario Balotelli would have displaced either Edin Dzeko or Sergio Aguero (6/1 First/Last Goalscorer) in the starting XI anyway.
Luis Suarez remains unavailable for Liverpool but it says a great deal about Andy Carroll’s lack of form that Reds fans are pining for the Uruguayan’s return as the former Newcastle man has mustered just four goals in all competitions this season.
Liverpool have made Anfield something of a fortress under their new manager as he has tasted defeat just once in 23 games at home, although an unbeaten league record on Merseyside this season masks the fact they have drawn seven of their 11 games.
It is difficult to see a host of goals in this one, despite Stefan Savic’s nervy attempts to fill the void left by Kompany, but City at least look like they can score goals – and they need to. Therefore, they are fancied to sneak through.
Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.