Liverpool vs Manchester City: Isak and Gakpo in Doubt as Iraola's Unbeaten Side Host Maresca's League Leaders at Anfield

City's Perfect Start Faces Its Biggest Test

Maresca has won all five of his opening Premier League matches as Manchester City manager.

The sequence began with a 2-1 home win over Bournemouth on the first day of the season and has since taken in:

• A 4-1 victory at Crystal Palace,
• A 1-0 win over Coventry,
• A 1-0 derby win at Old Trafford, and
• A 5-3 win against Sunderland.

The derby was the hardest-earned of the five. Phil Foden was sent off in the 23rd minute that day for a two-footed challenge on Bruno Fernandes, and City played the remaining 67 minutes with ten men.

And Erling Haaland, reigning golden boot winner, scored the only goal. Foden did receive a three-match ban and has already sat out the EFL Cup tie against Norwich and the Sunderland match.

Yet, the main threat for Liverpool is Haaland, who scored a hat-trick when City beat Liverpool 4-0 in the FA Cup quarter-final in April.

City have won three of the last four meetings between the sides in all competitions, with the only Liverpool win in that run coming at the Etihad in February 2025.

See: Liverpool vs Man City prediction

Isak and Gakpo Both Doubtful for Liverpool

Iraola goes into the match sweating on the fitness of his two main attackers. Alexander Isak, who has scored four goals in the first five league matches, is a major doubt after returning early from Sweden duty with a thigh injury.

Cody Gakpo picked up an ankle problem on Netherlands duty and missed training this week.

Hugo Ekitike is out until December with an Achilles injury. Conor Bradley will not return until November. Giovanni Leoni is close to fitness but will miss this match. Meanwhile, Jeremy Jacquet trained on Thursday and should be available despite a hamstring complaint.

Florian Wirtz, who has been Liverpool's most creative player in the opening weeks of the season, is expected to operate behind the front line.

Liverpool are unbeaten through five matches but have drawn three of them. A 2-2 at Newcastle on the opening day was followed by another 2-2 at home to Nottingham Forest and a goalless draw with Fulham.

Their two wins, 2-0 at Ipswich and 1-0 at Bournemouth, both came on the road. And The Reds now sit on nine points, six behind the leaders.

Two New Managers and Two Rebuilt Squads

This is the first Liverpool vs Manchester City match since both clubs changed managers in the summer.

Iraola replaced Arne Slot at Liverpool in the summer, while Maresca succeeded Pep Guardiola at City after Guardiola's departure following ten years at the Etihad.

And both squads have been massively overhauled:

• Liverpool spent in excess of £300 million to sign Wirtz, Isak and Barcola while losing Mohamed Salah on a free transfer, Ibrahima Konate to Real Madrid and Andy Robertson to Tottenham.
• City brought in Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea for £125 million on deadline day, paid £116 million for Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest and signed Gianluigi Donnarumma after Ederson left for Fenerbahce.

The Citizens also lost Rodri to Barcelona, Bernardo Silva to Real Madrid and John Stones to Inter.

City's independent commission ruling also provides a backdrop. The club were found guilty of breaching the Premier League's financial rules across 115 charges relating to the period between 2009 and 2018.

City have appealed the verdict. Possible sanctions include points deductions, transfer embargoes, and relegation. But tonight, all focus is staying on top of the league.

Two unbeaten sides jam in a historically tense fixture. So ensure to check out our Liverpool vs Man City prediction.

Liverpool vs Man City: Match Details

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