Dejan Lovren’s return to the Liverpool team has been welcomed by many. “As a Liverpool fan, I was feeling nervous about this game,” writes Tim Woods. “Much less so now I see one of the world’s greatest defenders is back among the ranks.” Here’s a dramatic photograph of his Anfield arrival:
Dejan Lovren of Liverpool arrives before the Premier League match against Manchester City at Anfield. Photograph: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
The last time Manchester City played at Anfield in the league, the home side won 4-3. It wasn’t their first such victory, mind, and even if Jonathan Wilson’s tactical analysis is spot on today won’t be the first time full-backs will prove crucial. Here’s our report of the match played at Liverpool on 21 November 1931. Note the Mourinho-appropriate description of “bad play and bad tempers at Old Trafford” at the bottom (United had lost 2-1 at home to Bury in the Second Division):
The Guardian match report on Liverpool 4-3 Manchester City, 21 November 1931 Photograph: Guardian
The Manchester City team bus has arrived at Anfield, apparently unmolested.
The Manchester City team bus arrives for the Premier League match against Liverpool at Anfield. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA
So the teams are largely as expected. Naby Keita is fit only for the Liverpool bench, while Joe Gomez is preferred to Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, meaning that Dejan Lovren makes his first league start of the season in the centre. Benjamin Mendy returns to City’s line-up, while Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin de Bruyne, who Pep Guardiola suggested might be involved, are not involved.
The team sheets are in, and these are the names upon them:
Well this is exciting, isn’t it? First against second in this morning’s league table, the league’s best two defences and England’s finest attack come face to face at Anfield. I could go on, but I’ve got a veritable travelling library of pre-match reading for you to get stuck into and this is a game that probably doesn’t require any further previewage, so instead wrap your chops around Jonathan Wilson’s tactical summary:
And then move onto Andy Hunter and Jamie Jackson’s man-by-man squad-scoring thingamajig:
Before tucking into Paul Wilson’s preview:
And then hold on to your hats and brace yourselves for a whole lot of fun!
Manchester City
