Liverpool tonight take on a side who have systematically taken what was rightfully their property up until two season’s ago – a place in the Premier League’s top four.
Manchester City will retake third place in the Premier League it they manage to take three points on their visit to Merseyside this evening. It’s won’t be plain sailing for the Citizens though.
They may well have pulverized a poor Sunderland side into a submission to the tune of five goals to nil last week, but standing before them is a team who thrive on occasions like this. Since Kenny Dalglish took over the helm at Anfield, games against better opponents are where they’ve excelled.
You only have to cast your mind back to their win at Chelsea on February 6 and exactly a month later they overcame City’s neighbor’s United in an easy 3-1 Dirk Kuyt-inspired victory.
The only worry for Liverpool right now is that marquee January signing, £35million striker Andy Carroll, has yet to register a goal for the club. His run isn’t Torres-esque, and he can blame a prolonged period that he was out injured, but the fans won’t give him much longer to roll out the excuses. So keep it to the eight pints after the game, Andy!
City, meanwhile, has the temperamental Mario Balotelli looking as though he may well be out of the rut that made many question whether he will still be at the club in the summer.
If you forgive the recent red card, throwing darts at youth team players, and not being able to put a bib on then Balotelli is starting to show some of the form that made City shell out the best part of £25million for the striker.
Bet365 has the line at 8/1 for a 0-0, which might be a good shout as City are likely to come here and park their faltering double decker bus in front of goal. There’s a feeling that this could be Carroll’s night though and you wouldn’t put it past the rangy forward notching his first strike, and he’s 11/2 to score first and 7/4 to score at any time.
Odds to be drunk by 2am tomorrow morning should he score? Odds on!
