LONDON: The much-anticipated clash between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on Saturday looks like a knockout to determine who can challenge Chelsea for the Premier League title.
A draw would do neither side any favours in their pursuit of Antonio Conte’s Blues who are six points clear of second-placed Liverpool and threatening to disappear over the horizon even before new year.
“For me,” City midfielder Yaya Toure said, “it’s almost a ‘final’ of the Premier League because I think it’s going to be a similar kind of football. I think for the fans, it’s going to be fantastic.”
City lie one point further back in third and have traditionally reserved some of their worst performances for Liverpool. Last season they were humiliated 4-1 at home and have not won at Anfield since 2003.
At least they seem unlikely to face their chief recent tormentor, Philippe Coutinho, who is recovering from an ankle injury. Coutinho has scored five goals in his last six games against them.
They can also call on Sergio Aguero to lead their attack as he has completed a four-game suspension.
“Aguero is a wonderful player,” Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum said of a striker who has 16 goals from 19 games in all competitions this season, “and can win the game on his own for Manchester City.”
Much will depend on how Liverpool’s wobbly defence handles the Argentine although they possess plenty of threat at the other end with Adam Lallana leading the comeback in Tuesday’s 4-1 victory over Stoke City and Daniel Sturridge fit and firing again after scoring his first Premier League goal of the season.
Pep Guardiola was in attendance to watch Jurgen Klopp’s team overcome Stoke and knows Anfield will again be red hot.
“It’s a very big game for both sides,” said Klopp.
“When you have a look at the table and see that six clubs fight for [fourth] or [first] it’s a really interesting position,” added Klopp, who sparred with Guardiola’s Bayern Munich during his successful spell as Borussia Dortmund coach.
Stoke, meanwhile, will need to show more resilience at Stamford Bridge to prevent Chelsea bagging a 13th successive Premier League win to equal the record set by Arsenal in one season in 2001-02.
With each win, Conte’s side have looked more and more like champions-in-waiting, but with half the season still to go, Chelsea’s players are desperately trying to ignore the hype.
Goalkeeper Thibault Courtois has been one of the main reasons for their resurgence having conceded just two goals in the 12-match run -- something he puts down to skills honed in Spain with Atletico Madrid.
“Concentration is a big factor,” he told the club website. “If you keep on shouting and being busy with the game you are always staying in it, and I think that is one of my strong points, focus and concentration during the game. I learned a lot of it when I was at Atletico.”
Arsenal, two points below City in fourth place, will look to build on Monday’s last-gasp 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion when they host Sam Allardyce’s Crystal Palace on New Year’s Day.
Arsene Wenger’s side had lost their two previous games and with Chelsea nine points above them, their margin for error is thin.
“If you have back-to-back losses then you have to go and make up for it in different games. Then you can catch up,” goalkeeper Petr Cech told the Arsenal website.
“There are still enough games to make up for our blip and I also think it’s impossible for our opponents to not drop points.”
Palace, held to a 1-1 draw by Watford on Monday in Allardyce’s first game in charge since succeeding the sacked Alan Pardew, sit two points above the relegation zone.
Manchester United have closed to within sight of Arsenal and will expect to record a fifth successive victory when 15th-place Middlesbrough visit on New Year’s Eve.
For a promoted team, a game at United’s iconic Old Trafford stadium is always something to look forward to. It will be particularly special for Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka.
Karanka will be reunited with United manager Jose Mourinho. The pair worked together for three years as coach (Mourinho) and assistant at Real Madrid from 2010. It was a glowing reference from Mourinho that helped get Karanka the job at Middlesbrough in 2013.
“I have a lot to thank Jose Mourinho for,” said Karanka, who added he will “share a glass of wine or beer or coke” with his old mentor after the game.
Champions Leicester City are deep in trouble after just one win in nine games and will again be without the suspended Jamie Vardy against fast improving West Ham United. Claudio Ranieri must decide whether to recall Riyad Mahrez after dropping the Algerian against Everton.
Mahrez is one of four Leicester players about to depart for the African Nations Cup so the Italian is expected to spend heavily in the transfer window.
Swansea City are also looking to strengthen their under-performing squad once they appoint a manger to succeed Bob Bradley who was sacked this week. The Swans are 19th and desperately need a win at home to Bournemouth.
Fixtures:
Saturday (1500 GMT unless otherwise stated): Chelsea v Stoke City, Leicester City v West Ham United, Liverpool v Manchester City (1730 GMT), Manchester United v Middlesbrough, Burnley v Sunderland, Southampton v West Bromwich Albion, Swansea City v Bournemouth.
Sunday: Arsenal v Crystal Palace (1600 GMT), Watford v Tottenham Hotspur (1330 GMT).
Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2016