Liverpool vs Manchester City
Venue: Wembley Stadium, London
Kick-off time: 3pm BST
Date: Sunday, 4 August
Liverpool and Manchester City renew hostilities as the 2019-20 season officially gets underway with the FA Community Shield at Wembley.
City beat Liverpool to the title by a single point in an enthralling Premier League campaign last term before cruising to 6-0 win over Watford in the FA Cup final.
Liverpool did console themselves with a Champions League triumph over Tottenham – but a first league title since 1990 will be the dream again this season.
Both sides have only just welcomed some key names back to training after international commitments this summer in the Copa America and Africa Cup of Nations.
City have navigated their way through pre-season relatively comfortably, winning three of their four games with new signing Rodri making an immediate impression in Pep Guardiola’s midfield.
Liverpool meanwhile have endured a rather less convincing summer. While beating Lyon on Wednesday, the Reds failed to register a win in their previous four against admittedly tough opposition in Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla, Sporting Lisbon and Napoli.
But with that win in Geneva this week, Jurgen Klopp’s side have picked up a timely morale booster ahead of their trip to the capital.
Liverpool vs Man City team news and predicted line-ups
Sergio Aguero, Nicolas Otamendi and Gabriel Jesus returned to City training this week after their extended summer breaks.
Raheem Sterling was deployed through the middle during their absence in the pre-season tour of the Far East – a role he could take up again on Sunday should Guardiola wish to give his two strikers more time.
Leroy Sane remains a City player for now – that’s despite Bayern Munich’s overly confident comments about signing the Germany international this week.
Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Alisson all featured on Wednesday night against Lyon – with Firmino featuring for 31 minutes and Salah the opening 45.
Klopp says ‘there is a chance’ both can play on Sunday – but appeared to suggest starts for the pair are unlikely.
Naby Keita and Xherdan Shaqiri are fit again after knocks over the summer.
Sadio Mane meanwhile is not scheduled to return to training until Monday.
Possible Liverpool XI: Ederson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Keita, Henderson, Wilson, Salah, Origi
Possible Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Laporte, Zinchenko, de Buryne, Rodri, David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Aguero, Sterling
Prediction: Liverpool 0-2 Man City
Make predictions based on pre-season form at your peril but it has to be said, City are looking slicker heading into Sunday’s curtain-raiser.
Even with that win over Lyon in mind, Liverpool encountered a number of problems during that poor run of form.
While they will no doubt find the solutions to those, expecting them to hit top gear on Sunday with so many key players still returning to full fitness could be a tall order.
Tickets
For City ticket information click here to head to their website.
For Liverpool ticket information click here to head to their website.
Betting tips via Betfair | UK users only | Subject to change
Match odds
- Liverpool: 8/5
- Man City: 1/2
First goal scorer
- Sergio Aguero: 4/1
- Mohamed Salah: 4/1
- Raheem Sterling: 5/1
- Riyad Mahrez: 11/2
- Divock Origi: 13/2
- Harry Wilson: 17/2
TV channel and live stream information
The match will be televised live on BT Sport 1, with coverage starting from 2.30pm.
BT Sport subscribers will be able to stream the match online via the video player and the BT Sport app.
You can also follow all the action with Standard Sport's LIVE blog with James Olley, David Lynch and James Robson in place at Wembley.
