English Giants’ Duel 2.0
World-class football was on offer last weekend in the Premier League top match between Manchester City and Liverpool. In the end, fans at the Etihad Stadium not only got to see four goals but, along with the hundreds of millions of TV viewers around the world, witnessed what is surely the best football match in the 2022 calendar year to date.
On Saturday afternoon we can already look forward to the re-match of the two Champions League semi-finalists. In the preliminary round of the English FA Cup, it comes once again to the duel Manchester City against Liverpool. According to the odds, the bookmakers are once again having a hard time naming a favourite. The quotes are almost identical, which is certainly also due to the fact that neither team will enjoy the official home advantage at Wembley Stadium.
Although the expectations are naturally huge after the great encounter the previous week, we believe that Pep Guardiola and Jürgen Klopp’s teams can once again live up to these high expectations. If both teams can once again reach their maximum performance, we believe that the prediction of a three-goal or better clash between Manchester City and Liverpool will once again pay off.
Manchester City – Statistics & current form
For the ninth time in his hugely successful career, Pep Guardiola has reached the semi-finals of the top flight as a coach. On Wednesday evening, a goalless draw in the second leg at Atletico Madrid was enough for his Citizens to book their place in the last four. However, the Sky Blues had more problems than expected throughout the match and had to thank Fortuna, the goddess of luck, several times, especially in the final phase, that the Spanish champions did not score the extra-time goal.
The fact is that this match and the ensuing turmoil in the dressing room took a lot of energy and substance. Nevertheless, we are far from refraining from betting on the current Premier League leaders between Manchester City and Liverpool. In terms of game control and possession, there is no better team in the world at the moment than the Citizens.
Guardiola wants to boost his FA Cup record
The road to this FA Cup semi-final has not been marked by any particularly high hurdles so far. All four games were won with at least a two-goal difference. In three out of four cases Gabriel Jesus and Co. even scored four goals of their own. This was also the case in the quarter-finals a few weeks ago, when they won 4-1 at Southampton. Now the Sky Blues have set their sights on reaching the final for the first time since 2019 and only the second time in the past eight seasons.
In Manchester’s favour is the fact that they have not lost any of their last ten matches at Wembley Stadium, making them real experts when it comes to winning important domestic games at England’s premier football temple. Their current form, with only one defeat in their last 23 competitive matches, should not be underestimated either. None of the last ten matches have been lost by the reigning English champions.
With this in mind, it may make sense to make a prediction ahead of the Manchester City v Liverpool semi-final that the Citizens will reach the final. On the “To-Qualify” market, an attractive 1.75 is offered. This is partly due to the fact that Coach Pep still has a few personnel problems to complain about at the moment. Kyle Walker and Kevin de Bruyne are just as questionable as Phil Foden. The Catalan was also unable to spare any of his players during the week.
Predicted Manchester City line-up:
Ederson; Cancelo, Stones, Laporte, Ake; Silva, Rodri, Gundogan; Jesus, Sterling, Grealish
Last matches played by Manchester City:
Champions League final
14/04/2022 – Atletico Madrid 0 – 0 Manchester City
Premier League
10/04/2022 – Manchester City 2 – 2 Liverpool FC
Champions League Final
06/04/2022 – Manchester City 1 – 0 Atletico Madrid
Premier League
02/04/2022 – Burnley 0 – 2 Manchester City
FA Cup
20/03/2022 – Southampton 1 – 4 Manchester City
Liverpool – Statistics & current form
Jürgen Klopp has already won the League Cup. The German coach has also lifted the English championship trophy and the Champions League trophy with Liverpool Football Club. The former Dortmund man only needs the FA Cup to complete his personal trophy cabinet.
Out of 19 games in the most important cup competition on the island, “Kloppo” has only won nine (four draws, six defeats). In fact, he is in the final round for the first time in 2021/22. Not least for this reason, it is definitely worth considering betting against the Reds on Saturday afternoon.
This season, however, Liverpool seem to be able to beat their curse, even though they have only knocked out one first division side, Norwich City. In three of the four matches played, bets would have gone through on the over 2.5
LFC’s attack is in fine form
With offensive artistry, Mane, Salah and Co. have not been stingy of late anyway. LFC have scored at least twice in six of their last seven competitive games. Only on Wednesday evening, they drew 3-3 with Benfica Lisbon in the quarter-final second leg of the Champions League. The English side didn’t cover themselves with glory, but their semi-final spot was already virtually fixed thanks to the 3:1 first leg win.
Klopp used the opportunity to spare some of his stars, who will now be better rested on Saturday. Defenders Van Dijk, Robertson and Trent-Arnold are all expected back in the starting eleven this weekend. Nevertheless, the second-placed team in the Premier League will have to show a different defensive face than in the previous week, for example, when they allowed the Citizens a few top-class chances and could well have conceded four goals. In the first leg against Chelsea, Tottenham and Man City, keeper Alisson had to make two saves each. By the way, in these top matches the bet on the over 2.5 was always crowned with success.
Predicted Liverpool line-up:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago; Salah, Mane, Diaz
Last matches played by Liverpool:
Champions League Final
14/04/2022 – Liverpool FC 3 – 3 Benfica
Premier League
10/04/2022 – Manchester City 2 – 2 FC Liverpool
Champions League Final
06/04/2022 – Benfica 1 – 3 Liverpool FC
Premier League
02/04/2022 – Liverpool FC 2 – 0 Watford
FA Cup
21/03/2022 – Nottingham Forest 0 – 1 Liverpool FC
Manchester City – Liverpool Direct Comparison / H2H Record
As already mentioned, the two currently perhaps best football teams in the world already faced each other in the previous week. Twice the Reds were able to equalise the Citizens’ lead. In the end, as in the first leg, it was a 2:2 draw. In ten of the past twelve direct duels between these clubs, at least three goals were scored. We are therefore all the more surprised that relatively high odds of over 2.5 are being offered on Saturday between Manchester City and Liverpool. We definitely don’t believe in a defensive battle with these coaches and teams.
Manchester City – Liverpool Tip
The match of all players in the motherland of football – Part 2 goes down on Saturday afternoon in front of a fitting backdrop at Wembley Stadium. At stake is a place in the FA Cup – a competition that neither Pep Guardiola nor Jürgen Klopp have loved dearly in recent years. While the Catalan has at least one title in the world’s oldest cup competition to his name, “Kloppo” has even reached the semi-finals for the first time.
Admittedly, we don’t think this fact will play a particularly big role at the weekend. Instead, we expect, like last week, a duel on equal terms and with open sights. Last Sunday, six to seven goals could easily have been scored. To believe in a game with a maximum of two goals would therefore not be clever in our eyes.
Ten of the last twelve direct duels have ended with at least three goals. Liverpool have also scored twice or more in six of their last seven competitive matches. In conjunction with the impressions from the two Premier League games, we therefore play the Over 2.5 tip between Manchester City and Liverpool.
Furthermore, there are other recommendations we are considering. Among other things, we see an appealing value in the betting odds on the Citizens progressing ahead of the Manchester City vs Liverpool clash. The 1.75 can therefore be included in the portfolio as well as the 1.55 for both teams to score a goal.
