Anfield hosts the heavyweight fixture of the Premier League weekend when Liverpool hosts Manchester City in a meeting that could shape the early title picture.
Liverpool arrive off a 1-0 win over Bournemouth on September 20, a result that followed a scoreless draw with Fulham on September 12 and a 2-0 win over Ipswich Town back on September 4.
Manchester City come in in form, having beaten Sunderland 5-3 on September 20 after edging Man U 1-0 the previous week and opening with a 1-0 win over Coventry on September 5.
Liverpool projected lineup
Andoni Iraola sets Liverpool up in a 4-2-3-1 with Alisson behind a back line of Kerkez, Jacquet, Van Dijk and Araujo. Szoboszlai and Mac Allister sit as the double pivot, with Wirtz, Barcola and Muñoz forming the attacking midfield line in support of Koumas up top. The team sheet is thin on options further forward and at the back, with Gakpo, Chiesa, Ekitike, Leoni, Nallo and Bradley all out, which pushes Iraola toward a lineup built around his available depth rather than his first-choice group.
Liverpool projected starting XI (4-2-3-1): Alisson Alisson, Miloš Kerkez, Jérémy Jacquet, Virgil Van Dijk, Ronald Araujo, Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Bradley Barcola, Víctor Muñoz, Lewis Koumas. Coach: Andoni Iraola.
Manchester City projected lineup
Enzo Maresca lines Manchester City up in a matching 4-2-3-1, with Donnarumma in goal behind Gvardiol, Guehi, Dias and Nunes. Anderson and Fernandez anchor midfield, freeing Cherki, Ndiaye and Semenyo to work around Haaland at the point of the attack. There are no absences listed for City, so Maresca can select his preferred group without any enforced changes.
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Manchester City projected starting XI (4-2-3-1): Gianluigi Donnarumma, Joško Gvardiol, Marc Guehi, Rúben Dias, Matheus Nunes, Rayan Cherki, Elliot Anderson, Enzo Fernandez, Erling Haaland, Iliman Ndiaye, Antoine Semenyo. Coach: Enzo Maresca.
