02/07/2021 13:00
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 02/07/2021 13:38
The strength of Anfield, diminished after the last defeats at home to Liverpool, lives a test of maximum demand on date 23 of the Premier League, in which Manchester City, brand new leader of the competition and in a great state of form, try to take advantage of the doubts of the current champion.
For now, they equalize without goals.
The previous
Pep Guardiola's team leads the championship, with 47 points from 21 games, and Jürgen Klopp's team is fourth, with 40 from 20 games.
Among them are Manchester United and Leicester, who this Sunday missed a chance as they drew goalless with Wolverhampton.
After 68 league rounds undefeated at Anfield, Liverpool lost their last two home games to Burnley (0-1) and Brighton (0-1).
It has been 57 years since he had three defeats in a row in his stadium and City is in a position to extend that slump and, incidentally, deliver a key blow to a direct rival.
Immersed in a series of 13 consecutive victories in all competitions, the team trained by Pep Guardiola leads the Premier with three points of advantage over Manchester United, four over Leicester City and seven over Liverpool, which it can leave more than touched .
Bernardo Silva and Diego Jota, in the last clash between both teams, in November 2020. Photo Reuters.
The '
citizens
' will again suffer the important losses in attack by Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Agüero, while the '
reds
' continue with a defensive system of circumstances due to the injuries of Van Dijk, Matip, Keita and Joe Gomez.
In addition, Klopp has the doubt in attack of Sadio Mané.
In addition to the obvious promise of a great show given the conformations and hierarchy of the teams, there is a very particular flavor not only due to the mere confrontation between the two best?
coaches of the world.
There were also media darts between Jürgen and Pep.
The German coach pointed against the rest time that the Manchester City players had and the Spaniard did not take the comment very well and replied at the press conference on Friday.
"Our team has had no respite this season, instead Manchester City had two weeks off due to Covid-19 issues," the Liverpool manager had said.
Guardiola replied: "Klopp was wrong. Maybe it was two months, or three months that they had free, or four ... Surely this is the reason why we are among the first four. I am surprised because I thought it was not like others. Jürgen may have to check the calendar. On Sunday when I see him in the field I'll ask him how many days off they had. "
Two the most respected.
The DTs had a previous crash.
Reuters photo
City have not beaten Liverpool as a visitor since 2003. On that occasion the
Citizens
defeated the
Reds
2-1
with two goals from Nikolas Anelka.
Since then they have played 18 games at Anfield, with 13 wins for the hosts and 5 draws.