good analysis ..... https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...efit-from-a-new-voice-pep-guardiola-liverpool Manchester City v Liverpool is the acid test for two brilliant teams Klopp’s side are top despite injury woes and Guardiola players have fallen back on individual quality when not quite firing When the history of this season comes to be written the meeting of Liverpool and Manchester City on Sunday might not be seen as decisive in the title race, as these two sides’ encounters have been in the recent past, but with the situations they find themselves in the match looks absolutely fascinating. There is pressure on both sides this season, City wanting to knock Liverpool off their perch and the champions desperate to raise the trophy again, hopefully with fans there to see it this time, and perhaps this weekend we will see who is coping with it the best.
After 159 games, the longest unbeaten run in English football is finally over. In his popular weekly feature for the BBC Sport website, Lawro had not predicted a defeat for Liverpool since May 2016 - until now. The former Reds defender is backing Manchester City to beat Jurgen Klopp's side 2-0 at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Both sides have to walk a fine line in deciding whether or not to rely upon key players that may be short form and/or fitness due to injury/illness forced layoffs. Whose squad players can hold their nerve best? I like the growing flexibility we have as more of our fringe players have been thrown into the fray in games that "matter". I just have the feeling that City will feel more pressure to get a result. I hope that is their undoing.
Thiago Alcantara was again missing as Liverpool ramped up preparations for the weekend visit to Manchester City. Thiago was a notable absentee as the Premier League and world champions underwent a training session on Thursday evening ahead of Sunday's trip to the Etihad. https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/liverpool-thiago-alcantara-manchester-city-19230565
yep. the straws I'm clinging to say (a) he's 99% ready, but the club are being super-cautious because of his history and giving him the 2-week break to fully get there, or (b) he's ready to play and we're trying to fake Pep out.
has nothing to do with it though. The tackle by Richarlison likely damaged ligaments - so they are being exceptionally careful.
Klopp has confirmed - no Thiago on Sunday. "Thiago is probably not ready to return. No surgery needed but still an injury. Big improvements one day to next but he has to train again and that is not the case so far. Not available for Sunday. That's it."
They're referring to that journalist has predicted Liverpool to win (whether he was right or wrong) for 159 matches straight. It was confusing to me too when I was first reading about it. There are quite a few "fanboys" with too much time on their hands to track shit like this, I'm afraid.