I’ve heard people say City players will be confused about what’s going on with the club off the pitch, but I don’t see it that way.
I suspect there will be a siege mentality with City fans where “everyone hates us, everyone thinks we’re going to lose, everyone thinks we’re going to be relegated” – I don’t think so, because there are plenty of balanced football fans out there.
City will probably be up against the enemy at Anfield, but I think they can handle it.
Liverpool are also still going strong under Andoni Iraola. Watching them this season, they haven’t convinced me so far.
Based on all that, I’m going for City here. I can just picture Erling Haaland scoring the winner and celebrating with a big smile on his face.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-2
James on what happened after City were found guilty of most of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League: I’m not sure we should start handing out titles and trophies to everyone who lost to City in the period in question, including Liverpool. You can’t really take those memories and emotional moments from City’s players and fans and hand them over to another team, but maybe those victories should be chalked up in the official records, or at least have an asterisk next to them.
It also means that there is a very strange feeling surrounding this fixture and the entire season. City and Liverpool have had some great games against each other in recent years, but we don’t know what will happen to City this time and whether this result will matter in the end.
James’ prediction: It’s a strange game for Liverpool because if we win it will be the story of us beating cheaters. If we lose, people will say well that City City have had this massive and unfair advantage over all these years, not just in the specific period of their charges.
So it will be difficult for all 22 players to get their heads around the back and compete with each other – but I still think Liverpool will win. 3-1
AI’s prediction: 2-2