Alan Smith Predicts The Result As Liverpool Take On Manchester City – Exclusive
Sky Sports commentator Alan Smith is expecting a stalemate when Liverpool face Manchester City this weekend.
Speaking exclusively to Walk On (courtesy of Best Betting Sites UK), Smith said that while it is a great chance for the Reds to secure a big win, he thinks their opponents will take a point away from Anfield on Sunday:
“It is a good opportunity, obviously, in front of their own fans. They’ve been showing a little bit of form defensively. It’s shaping up more now with Jacquet next to Van Dijk in central defence. So they’ll be hoping Isak, who got that winning goal the other day, last time out at Bournemouth.”
“So they’ll be hoping now they can go on a run, and to get a win against City would do them the world of good. Having said all that, I’m going to go 1-1. I think City might just grab something.”
It’s the biggest test yet for Iraola
Reds boss Andoni Iraola has not faced any of the “Big Six” so far since his appointment last summer, and it will be interesting to see how his team fares against City.
Enzo Maresca is freshly in the job too, but he has negotiated a big test already – the Manchester derby – so you could argue that Iraola is the one under the most scrutiny heading into the match.
Liverpool v Man City team news
Iraola has said that both Alexander Isak (thigh) and Cody Gakpo (ankle) are doubts to face City, having returned early from international duty.
There are question marks over Jeremy Jacquet’s fitness too after he sustained a hamstring injury in a training session with France last weekend.
Federico Chiesa (back) could be back available, but the fixture may come too soon for Giovanni Leoni (fitness). Conor Bradley (knee) and Hugo Ekitike (Achilles) are long-term absentees.
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