Three Keys For Liverpool To Beat Manchester City On Sunday
The two best defences in this season’s English Premier League will meet at Anfield this Sunday with both Liverpool and Manchester City having conceded 11 goals.
City’s weakness has been in the last half hour of PL matches, a period in which they have conceded 8 out their 11 goals this season. However, this is also the time when they are usually winning games, and a goal conceded only has a marginal effect on the final result.
The last half our is not so prolific for Liverpool, especially at home as they have found the back of the net only once at Anfield in between the 61st and 90th minutes of PL matches.
So, the Reds will have to weather the early storm and also find the energy for a late assault on Joe Hart’s goal.
| Period | Goals Conceded |
| 0 – 30 | 1 |
| 31 – 60 | 2 |
| 61 – 90 | 8 |
| Total | 11 |
Goals scored by Liverpool at Anfield in the PL 2011/12 – by time periods
| Period | Goals Scored |
| 0 – 30 | 3 |
| 31 – 60 | 4 |
| 61 – 90 | 1 |
| Total | 8 |
MIDFIELD HUSTLING THE KEY FOR LIVERPOOL
When these teams last met, Liverpool ran out 3-0 winners and the reason for such an emphatic victory was that they harried Man City’s midfield and did not concede shots on goal.
In that match Man City only placed two shots on target, only twice have they recorded a lower total since the start of the 2010/11 season – away to Arsenal (0-0) and Chelsea (0-2).
Since 2010/11 City have averaged 5.32 shots on target per match, whilst this season a frightening 7.42.
During their 2-0 victory in the CL this season Bayern Munich adopted a similar strategy to Liverpool’s last season – a 4-2-3-1 formation that nullified Man City’s threat with the graft of two defensive midfielders and three attacking midfielders harrying the opposition, and big front men as an outlet supported by touchline hugging full backs.
Average Player Positions:
Liverpool (v Man City) 2010/11 | Bayern v (Man City) CL 2011/12
| Opponent | Tackles |
| Wigan Athletic (a) | 30 |
| Wigan Athletic (h) | 26 |
| Manchester City (h) | 25 |
The extent to which Liverpool closed Man City down and swarmed at them is shown by the 35 tackles they won during the encounter.
Only against Wigan (home and away) in the 2010/11 Premier League did Liverpool win more tackles than the 35 during their 3-0 victory over Manchester City.
LIVERPOOL NEED A QUICK START
Castrol EDGE Performance data shows that Manchester City’s three competitive defeats this season have all come after conceding the first goal.
Liverpool may have to get off the mark early as they did last season at Anfield, when they won 3-0 after scoring three goals in the first 35 minutes of the encounter.
The first goal is crucial as it can unsettle City; Napoli (twice) and Bayern in the CL have damaged City’s machine by opening the scoring and this is when Roberto Mancini’s men have struggled the most.
| Opponent | Result | First Goal |
| Napoli (h) | 1-1 | Cavani 69’ |
| Bayern Munich (a) | 0-2 | Gomez 38’ |
| Villarreal (h) | 2-1 | Cani 4’ |
| QPR (a) | 3-2 | Bothroyd 28’ |
| Napoli (a) | 1-2 | Cavani 18’ |
Despite eventually beating Villarreal and QPR after going behind, Bayern and Napoli have remained undefeated after opening the scoring against the Citizens.
Once ahead away from home Man City tend to despatch opponents who open up in pursuit of an equaliser.
| Opponent | Result |
| Tottenham | 5-1 |
| Fulham | 2-2 |
| Blackburn | 4-0 |
| Manchester United | 6-1 |
Only Fulham have avoided defeat to Manchester City at home in the PL after conceding the first goal, but Tottenham, Blackburn and Manchester United have been thrashed.
However, Liverpool have yet to concede a first half goal at Anfield in the PL this season and have yet to concede the first goal as well, so the Merseysiders must keep this record intact to stand a chance against Man City.
So all Liverpool need to do is to score early, nullify City’s midfield to deny them scoring opportunities and then score again near the end, just to make it safe. Easier said than done, but City are not unbeatable, as Bayern Munich and Napoli have shown this season.
Topics: English Premier League, Liverpool, Manchester City, Match Reports
Football News 24/7
