Manchester City vs Liverpool: It’s the Premier League Champions versus the Challengers

Manchester City vs Liverpool

Happy New Year SBOBET football fans—particularly those who love the Premier League!

If you do, there can’t be a better game to kick start 2019 right now than this one: the champions versus the challengers (and the new title favourites with Premier League 2019 betting odds).

The challenge is quite simple for Pep Guardiola’s men: (in his own words) fail to win this one and the title race is over.

Talking Points

His comments are understandable. Manchester City are seven points behind unbeaten leaders Liverpool who are in superb form.

A much-needed win at Southampton gave City a New Year boost, but a poor Christmas period has left them needing three points against their rivals.

Anything else is unlikely to be enough.

There is no doubt Liverpool are firm title favourites.

They have not wavered since City’s three defeats in four games made the Merseysiders clear frontrunners, and they have pursued their title dream breathlessly.

Indeed, Jurgen Klopp’s men are thriving amidst the scrutiny of being top of the table, and the momentum is clearly with them.

It says much for their near-perfect first half of the campaign that they will better their points tally of last season even if they win six, draw four and lose eight of their remaining matches this term.

There is a genuine belief that Liverpool are well equipped to win the title for the first time since 1990 (before the Premier League era began) and end years of Merseyside misery.

Certainly, it is the best squad the club has had for some time and the best team since the 2008/09 side managed by Rafa Benitez—one which secured runners-up spot, just four points behind eventual champions Manchester United.

Their summer spending spree even surpassed City last year, and there is a stronger spine to the team than in recent years.

One of the major reasons was the club record £75-million acquisition of Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk who has strengthened a backline which was notoriously inconsistent.

His arrival 12 months ago, coupled with the summer recruits of the likes of Naby Keita and goalkeeper Alisson, have heightened belief this could be Liverpool’s season.

As the two clubs prepare for their first outings of the New Year, Guardiola grabbed the Premier League 2019 news headlines after describing Liverpool as the best team in Europe, possibly in the world at the moment.

Yet City, overall, have even greater resources. They have never more needed to show why they are champions or this season’s race may be all but run by the first week of January.

History

Liverpool and Man City are surely aiming for a Premier League win after finishing with a draw the last time out — Kevin De Bruyne and Jordan Henderson fight for the ball during a Premier League clash between Man City and Liverpool

When the sides met at Anfield in October, the game finished goalless with Riyad Mahrez missing a late penalty which could yet prove costly come season end.

It was compelling in a different way to last season’s clashes.

City thrashed Liverpool 5-0 at the Etihad in a contest which was close until Sadio Mane’s harsh sending-off ultimately led to a home rout.

The return fixture at Anfield was arguably the game of the season.

Liverpool capitalised on poor defending to score three times in a rousing eight-minute spell before just managing to hold off a late City comeback in a 4-3 victory.

There was no chance of a comeback when they next met as Liverpool produced a first-half masterclass in attack and a solid second half in defence to defeat City 3-0 in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final.

Had Leroy Sane’s goal not been incorrectly disallowed in the second leg (which would have given City a two-goal, half-time advantage), we may have witnessed one of Europe’s greatest fightbacks.

As it was, City lost their composure, Guardiola was sent-off and Liverpool gained momentum and went onto complete a double over their opponents in a 5-1 aggregate win.

Betting Tip

	Manchester City vs Liverpool	Manchester City Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.40
	January 04, 04:00 (GMT+8)

City are favourites when you look at the odds.

They are priced at 2.09 with 1X2 odds while Liverpool are at 3.40 and the draw at 3.35.

Unsurprisingly given their styles of play and talent on display, goals are expected.

However, with a slight nod to the meeting in October, the odds are more attractive then you might expect. Over three goals actually pays handsomely, so as Total Goal 2-3 and 4-6.

A goalless draw, on the other hand, is an unlikely result.

It enticing to bet on Liverpool given the odds and their record, but I’m putting the smart money on Manchester City to win and dominate at home. That’s the pride of the champions, after all.