Liverpool vs Manchester City Odds & Prediction – Premier League Round 23

• Man City travel to champions Liverpool, on Sunday, February 7, KO 11:30 am EST
• Liverpool come into the game off the back of two home defeats but City are unbeaten in 2021
• We preview the game, look at the odds, and offer a best bet below

A few weeks ago it was Liverpool vying at the top of the table with Manchester United while their city rivals hovered, unusually, just outside the top six. But when these two kick-off for Liverpool vs Manchester City on Sunday, February 7, KO 11:30 am EST in Week 23 of the EPL, City lead the table and Liverpool are struggling for form having lost two homes games on the spin.

We list the odds below, preview the game, and offer the best bet for this EPL match below.

Liverpool vs Manchester City Odds

All odds taken Feb 5 at DraftKings

Consecutive Home Defeats for Liverpool

Liverpool’s defense of their Premier League title has not gone as planned and injuries to key players have made for a difficult season for Jurgen Klopp’s men. In addition to already losing more games in 2020-21 (4) than they did in the whole of 2019-20 (3), the Reds’ proud home record of not having lost at Anfield since April 2017 has been shattered. Consecutive home defeats by Burnley and Brighton – neither of them considered away-day specialists – have changed the landscape and visitors to Anfield will no longer see it as mission impossible.

The boss provides an injury update on Mane, Alisson and Fabinho…#LIVMCI

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 5, 2021

With Joël Matip, Virgil Van Dijk, Fabinho, Sadio Mane, Diego Jota, and Joe Gomez all unavailable, Klopp’s resources have been stretched and he has been unable to rediscover the winning formula of 2019-20. The good news for Klopp though is that first-choice goalkeeper Alisson should be available for the visit of City after the Brazilian missed the Brighton game; a much-needed boost to a defense that has struggled massively without the presence of Van Dijk.

A clear message from @andrewrobertso5. pic.twitter.com/QPjGe6RyWC

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 4, 2021

Injuries to Mane Have Been Costly

An equally big problem for Liverpool has been their inability to convert chances and the heady days of 2019-20, when Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane were scoring goals for fun, seem a long time ago. While Mane’s season has been punctuated by injury, he has looked the most effective of the three but Salah and Firmino have struggled to reach the same heights. If Liverpool loses on Sunday, it will leave them ten points behind City having played one game more.

Liverpool vs Manchester City Head-to-Head Stats

Unstoppable City

By way of contrast to Liverpool’s woes, Pep Guardiola’s City looks completely unstoppable at the moment. Their routine 2-0 win away at Burnley on Wednesday was their ninth on the bounce and even minus the services of Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero – both of whom are injured – the EPL title already looks like City’s to lose.

All of which is quite the turnaround for the Citizens after a difficult start to the season in which they won just three of their opening eight games, including a humiliating 5-2 home defeat by Leicester City. In addition to scoring goals aplenty, this City team has also acquired the knack of earning clean sheets; the Burnley game was their 16th shut out in 20 games, going back to their last defeat – back in November by Tottenham.

On paper, City looks unbeatable right now but it is definitely worth noting that their nine-game winning run includes just two wins over teams who are currently in the top half of the table. Liverpool, even a misfiring Liverpool, will offer them their toughest challenge of 2021 so far and the pressure of the occasion will, in itself, guarantee a difficult afternoon for City.

🅰️ @IlkayGuendogan
⚽️ @sterling7

🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/1c2Y9twpFc

— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 4, 2021

Lethargic Liverpool?

Klopp put his team’s lethargic performance against Brighton down to tired legs and minds but against City there will be no room for excuses, and the days between the Brighton and Manchester City games will be spent refreshing and reinvigorating the Liverpool squad. Even if they go down against City, it will not be down to a lack of energy.

PEP 💬 We were lucky to score early and after the first half we struggled a bit to break the lines. The second half was much better. Everyone knows how tough Burnley is away. In general we are satisfied.

🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/csZF1E6qYt

— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 3, 2021

But at the very elite level, confidence is everything, and this City team is bursting full of it right now. Liverpool will have to be at their most organized and motivated best to contain the Citizens and even that may not be enough if the visitors score an early goal.

High Stakes

Yet, there is too much at stake here for the Reds to choke again, and I have an inkling that the last thing Klopp will want is City effectively knocking his team out of the title race in early February. Therefore, expect Liverpool’s solidity and energy to stifle City’s attacking flow; enough maybe to earn them a low-scoring draw.

Pick: Liverpool and Man City to draw (+275)