28 December 2007

Man.City vs LFC - Sunday 11.59am 30 Dec 07


Manchester City midfield duo Elano and Dietmar Hamann are set to be recalled after being rested for the 2-2 draw against Blackburn.
Fellow midfielder Michael Johnson again misses out because of a groin injury.
Liverpool centre-back Daniel Agger (foot) may be rushed back as Sami Hyypia is a doubt with an ankle injury.
If the pair are not fit, youngster Jack Hobbs could play or Alvaro Arbeloa (flu) could be used as an emergency central defender.
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez:"Daniel Agger is closer, he has been training this week.
"We will wait to see how Sami is but we can use Jack or we push Agger to play.
"It will be difficult against Manchester City with this problem. They are fighting at the top with us and Sunday's game is very important. We have to plan carefully."
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BIG-MATCH FACTS
The club with the joint best home record in the Premier League meets the one with the strongest away form.
Manchester City have had two draws over Christmas and dropped points at Eastlands for the first time this season; Liverpool are looking to extend their 100% holiday programme with a third straight win.
Manchester City have not scored a single goal in four Premier League matches with the Merseysiders.
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CLUB FORM
MANCHESTER CITY
(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures)
1. Won 10 Premier League matches so far this season; only Manchester United (14), Arsenal (13) and Chelsea (11) have won more.
2. Lost one of the last eight league outings.
3. Bagged seven points more than their previous best after the first 19 matches of a Premier League season; that being 28 points in 1994-95 when they tailed off badly and finished 17th.
4. Won 13 of 23 league and cup matches under Sven-Goran Eriksson.
5. Won nine and drawn three of the 12 league games in which they have scored first, but won only one of the six in which the opposition has opened the scoring.
6. One of three clubs to have won as many as nine home Premier League matches; the others are Arsenal and Manchester United.
7. Already accounted for Derby, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Birmingham, Sunderland, Reading and Bolton at Eastlands.
8. Blackburn are the only club this season to leave the City of Manchester Stadium with a point, from the 2-2 draw on Thursday night.
9. Gained 21 more points home than away so far this season; the widest such disparity in the Premier League.
10. A trip to Newcastle is scheduled for 2 January.
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LIVERPOOL (all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures)
1. Won 10 Premier League matches so far this season; only Manchester United (14), Arsenal (13) and Chelsea (11) have won more.
2. Won five of the last seven league outings.
3. Conceded 12 times in the Premier League; only Manchester United (nine) have shipped fewer.
4. Fallen behind from the outset three times in Premier League games this term; only Manchester United have conceded the opening goal on as few occasions.
5. Been shown 21 cards in Premier League competition this season (all yellows); Everton have also been shown as few as 21 but theirs are comprised of 19 yellow and two red.
6. Picked up 20 Premier League points on the road; more than any other club.
7. Won two more matches and secured four more points away from home than at Anfield so far this term.
8. Accounted for Aston Villa, Sunderland, Wigan, Everton, Newcastle and Derby on their league travels.
9. Boast the joint best defensive record away from home in the highest league with just six goals conceded in nine matches; identical to West Ham's figures.
10. A home clash with Wigan is lined up for 2 January.
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KEY PLAYER NOTES
MANCHESTER CITY
ELANO and Rolando BIANCHI are Manchester City's joint leading scorers with five goals each.
ELANO, BIANCHI and Michael PETROV are the club's joint top Premier League marksmen with four goals a piece.
GEOVANNI has scored the quickest goal of this Premier League season. He netted after 28 seconds of Steve Bruce's first game in charge of Wigan at the JJB Stadium on 1 December.
Darius VASSELL needs a double to total 50 career Premier League goals (Aston Villa and Manchester City).
If selected:-
Dietmar HAMANN will be facing a former club.
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LIVERPOOL
Fernando TORRES is Liverpool's top scorer with 15 goals, and their leading marksman in the Premier League with nine.
Goalkeeper Jose REINA is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Liverpool's Premier League matches this season.
If selected:-
Dirk KUYT will be making his 50th Premier League appearance.
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HEAD TO HEAD
Manchester City have only beaten Liverpool once in a home Premier League game since 1995; that was 1-0 on 9 April 2005 when a Kiki Musampa goal in stoppage time secured the points.
Liverpool have won 50% of their Premier League meetings with Manchester City (10 of 20).
The 2-2 draw Liverpool secured at Maine Road on 5 May 1996 sent Alan Ball's City crashing out of the Premier League.
Home and awayLeague (inc PL): Man City 37 wins, Liverpool 72, Draws 33Prem: Man City 3 wins, Liverpool 10, Draws 7
at Man City onlyLeague (inc PL): Man City 24 wins, Liverpool 28, Draws 19Prem: Man City 2 wins, Liverpool 2, Draws 6
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LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Manchester City 0-0 Liverpool 14 April 2007 - Ref: Uriah Rennie

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