Liverpool vs Man City Betting Tips & Preview

Manchester City to win

Pep Guardiola's side head to Anfield as our selection to win this Premier League fixture, and the case rests largely on current momentum rather than anything historical. City have won their last five matches in all competitions without exception, a run that includes victories over Manchester United and Porto, and that kind of consistency counts for a lot against a Liverpool team that, while unbeaten in its last four, has shown it can be pegged back after drawing with Fulham. At odds of 2.50, City aren't being backed because of any perceived gap between our model and the bookmakers' price — that's simply context for punters — but because, on the balance of recent evidence, they look the more complete side heading into this one.

Recent Form

Liverpool's recent form reads well on paper: four wins and a draw from their last five matches, with victories over Ipswich Town, Atlético de Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth sandwiching a home draw against Fulham. That draw is the only blemish, but it came at Anfield, which is worth bearing in mind given City are the visitors this time. Still, four wins in five is a solid platform and shows Arne Slot's side are capable of grinding out results even when not at their fluent best.

Manchester City's form, by contrast, is spotless across the same stretch. Wins over Coventry City, Porto, Manchester United, Norwich City and Sunderland make it five from five, and the manner of victory — away at United, at home to City rivals old and new in the Premier League and in Europe — suggests a side firing on all cylinders. There's no hint of complacency in that run, and City will arrive at Anfield full of confidence.

Head-to-Head

The head-to-head picture over the last five meetings favours Manchester City, who have won three of those games to Liverpool's two. City have taken the spoils in the three most recent encounters — in April 2026, February 2026 and November 2025 — while Liverpool's victories both came earlier, in February 2025 and December 2024. That recent trend is notable: City have found a way to get the better of Liverpool in three straight meetings, home and away, which adds weight to the case for backing them again here.

It's a fairly even series across five games when you strip away the recent run, but the timing matters. Liverpool haven't beaten City since early 2025, and that drought is relevant context heading into another meeting between the two.

Team News

Liverpool have a handful of absentees to contend with. Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo are both out due to eligibility issues, with both sidelined since early September. More pressing in football terms are the longer-term injury concerns: Cody Gakpo is out with an ankle injury since late September, and Hugo Ekitiké remains unavailable after suffering an Achilles tendon rupture back in April 2026, a significant blow to Liverpool's attacking options over an extended period.

Manchester City's team news is far more straightforward. Phil Foden is the only notable absence, sidelined since mid-September due to a red card suspension. With City otherwise able to call on a fuller squad than their hosts, that disparity in absentees could play a part in how this one unfolds.