Manchester City v Liverpool preview: Kyle Walker returns from suspension

Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker returns from suspension for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Liverpool at the Etihad.

The England international missed City’s last-gasp 2-1 victory at Bournemouth before the international break having been sent off at home to Everton in their previous outing.

However, Walker – who City spent £50m to sign from Tottenham Hotspur in July – featured twice for England during the past week, and will return to Pep Guardiola’s back four against the Reds after serving his one-match domestic ban.
Guardiola, though, will be without captain Vincent Kompany after the centre-back sustained a calf injury while completing 90 minutes of Belgium’s hammering of minnows Gibraltar in World Cup qualifying last week.

„He played for Belgium, in Gibraltar, [when] they won 9-0. He had a little problem with his calf and I think he will not be available,“ said Guardiola.

Liverpool, meanwhile, arrive at the Etihad sitting just two points behind their opponents in the table after the opening three games of the season, but without Philippe Coutinho in their squad.

The Brazilian returned to the club’s Melwood training ground on Thursday after flying home from South America in a private jet with club-mate Roberto Firmino, as well as the Manchester City trio Ederson, Fernandinho and Gabriel Jesus and Chelsea’s Willian.

The player, who had his first competitive action of the season with 47 minutes in two games for his country over the last week, spoke briefly with Jurgen Klopp, when the Liverpool manager told him he did not think it was worth the risk of playing him against City when he was not fit enough after a back injury.
„We had a very good talk, he was in a very good mood and training was even better,“ said Klopp.

„But I had to make the decision. We have seven games in the next three weeks, so there will not be the time to train.

„Before he went to Brazil he couldn’t train for about three weeks so that means we need to try to prepare him for the rest of the season and that is quite difficult with our schedule.

„So I decided to leave him out of the squad for City so we can use these four or five days for proper training.“

Team news

City will also be without former Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling, who is suspended, as well as Kompany.

Midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is back in contention having returning to full training following his long-term knee injury.

Liverpool’s deadline-day signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be included in the squad, but right-back Nathaniel Clyne is set for an extended spell on the sidelines with a back injury and Adam Lallana (thigh) is still working on his recovery.
Opta stats

City have lost only one of their last eight home Premier League meetings against Liverpool (W4 D3), a 1-4 defeat in November 2015 which remains the last time City lost by three goals in a home Premier League game.

Under Klopp, Liverpool have lost just one of their 22 Premier League matches against a team that finished in the top seven of the competition last season (W12 D9 L1).

In this period, Liverpool are unbeaten away from home against last season’s top seven sides in the Premier League (P9 W5 D4 L0).

Guardiola has won 25 matches and 85 points from his 41 Premier League games in charge of City. In his first 41 games in charge, former boss Manuel Pellegrini won 29 games and 92 points.

City have lost just one of their last 23 Premier League matches at home (W13 D9 L1), but they have only kept a clean sheet in six of these games.

Sadio Mane has scored seven goals in his last nine Premier League games, including a goal in each of his last four appearances in the competition. Only three players have scored in 5+ successive Premier League apps for Liverpool: Michael Owen (3 times), Dirk Kuyt and Daniel Sturridge.

Coutinho has scored in four of his six Premier League matches against City – in fact, the Brazilian has netted more league goals against City than any other opponent (4).

Gabriel Jesus has been directly involved in 12 goals in his 11 Premier League starts for City (eight goals, four assists).

Sergio Aguero has scored in all five of his Premier League appearances against Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium, netting once in each game. Aguero’s five consecutive home scoring games against Liverpool is bettered only by three players against an opponent in the Premier League – Alan Shearer against Everton, Thierry Henry against Aston Villa and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink against West Ham – who all scored in six consecutive home games.

Since leaving City to join Liverpool, James Milner has been involved in three goals in four Premier League games against his former club (two goals, one assist).
Merson’s prediction

What a game to start with! Sometimes with a big game the anticipation is there but it can fizzle out. However, I can’t see that happening with this game. These two teams play one way and one way only – attack, attack, attack!

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be hoping to make his Liverpool debut but with England captain Jordan Henderson and Emre Can, who I’m a big fan of, set to play I don’t see him getting a game. That’s unless he plays out of position but I thought he went to Liverpool to play in central midfield, no?

I can’t see anything but goals in this game. Both are brilliant going forward and not great at the back. However, I’m just going to side with City because I believe they are slightly better at the back.

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