Manchester City vs Liverpool: Assessing the markets before Champions League showdown
The Champions League is a competition not devoid of memorable comebacks. A year ago, Barcelona overcame all the odds to secure a spot in the next round of the tournament at PSG’s expense. A 4-0 loss to the French side in Paris didn’t deter the Blaugrana, who ultimately progressed 6-5 on aggregate courtesy of a late Sergi Roberto goal.
Liverpool too are fondly remembered for coming back from 3-0 down to win the 2005 Champions League final on penalties at AC Milan’s expense. The Serie A side failed to guard against complacency in Istanbul despite surging into a first half lead and were made to pay for their carelessness. 13 years on and the Reds must do the same in order to progress to the next round of the Champions League.
Jurgen Klopp’s side secured a 3-0 win over Manchester City at Anfield last week to put one foot through the quarter-final door, but then City are a team that can hurt any opponent on their day. They’ve already defeated Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium this term, securing a 5-0 win over the Merseyside outfit, albeit after Sadio Mane was dismissed in the latter moments of the first half.
Pep Guardiola, though, has the offensive personnel to put an indifferent Liverpool defence to the sword and it could be that an early goal is vital. City have scored more Premier League goals in the opening 15 minutes (10) than any other team this season and they are at 1.44 to score first at the Etihad Stadium this evening.
Considering their home form, too, City can be found at 1.50 to beat Liverpool, but winning in front of their own fans and securing a spot in the next round of the competition are two separate outcomes altogether. With a three-goal deficit to overcome, earning a semi-final berth is easier said than done with City out at 5.5 to qualify with some bookmakers.
Liverpool, given their huge first leg advantage, are as short as 1.14 to book their place in the final four of the Champions League. Having gone unbeaten away from home in the competition so far, winning three and drawing two, Liverpool to win or draw as far out as 2.88 could prove to be a handy moneymaker this evening as the Reds look to quickly dampen the spirits of the home crowd.
Goals could well be on the cards tonight too, with two of the three meetings between the pair this season yielding over 4.5 goals. Given Liverpool have scored more goals (31) than any other team in the Champions League this season, and with their fluid front three of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah netting 21 of those, you’d expect the trio to add to their returns of seven goals a piece.
City also boast the quality to hit the back of the net on a whim and so over 4.5 goals scored at 3.9 with some bookmakers may be worth backing. Either way, tonight’s game at the Etihad Stadium promises to be a hugely entertaining encounter between the two most aesthetically pleasing Premier League teams. If Liverpool can ward off the inevitable early City storm, then they should progress, but they need to be wary of a potential comeback from their top-flight counterparts.
