Pep Guardiola. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)Pep Guardiola. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Pep Guardiola. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Liverpool’s postponed fixture against Everton means their lead at the Premier League summit could be reduced.
Manchester City will aim to close the gap on Liverpool in the Premier League title race today.
The Reds’ Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park, which was due to kick-off at 12.30pm GMT, has been postponed on safety grounds amid Storm Darragh.
As a result, City will now try to put the pressure on Arne Slot’s Premier League leaders. Liverpool earned a dominant 2-0 win over City last weekend to open up an 11-point advantage between the two teams. That was reduced to nine points earlier this week when the Reds were held to a 3-3 draw at Newcastle and Pep Guardiola’s side ended a seven-match winless streak to beat Nottingham Forest 3-0.
The Premier League champions make the trip to Crystal Palace (3pm GMT) trying to build momentum. But Guardiola looks set to have depleted numbers once again. Phil Foden missed out against Forest and will again be absent. Meanwhile, Nathan Ake sustained a hamstring injury in the closing stages and will be sidelined for a period. City are also sweating on Manuel Akanji after he was forced off at half-time. What’s more, a third defender in John Stones is still unavailable.
Etihad Stadium talisman Kevin De Bruyne has been plagued with injuries so far this term and Guardiola has admitted he will have to assess the midfielder. Key man Rodri will not play this campaign because of an ACL injury while Mateo Kovacic and Oscar Bobb remain on the treatment table.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, City boss Guardiola said: “I would say in the past I rotate a lot,” he said of his approach to the defensive line-up. I would say not always the back four the same. But now, this season it’s because we don’t have it. We lost the two holding midfielders for long and after central defenders for a long time we didn’t have it.
“Now apparently we come back and now we come back again with the problems. I have four defenders for tomorrow, no more than that. The schedule ahead of us, we have to handle it. It’s an incredible bruising and incredible challenge to do it.
“We break that bad run because it’s not easy when you don’t win for a long time and now we have to try and continue with the good spirit that we show. We will see what happens.”
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