GWT: PL Matchweek (mostly) 23

[Savant]

Saturday 6 January

Aston Villa - Arsenal
Burnley - Brighton
Newcastle - Southampton
Fulham - West Ham
Manchester Utd - Everton

Sunday 7 January

Tottenham - West Brom
Wolverhampton - Leicester
Liverpool - Manchester City
Sheffield Utd - Chelsea

Monday 8 January

Leeds - Crystal Palace

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[East Coast Bias]

Jordan Pickford is out. Big blow to United's chances of getting the 3 points.

 

[Savant]

Jordan Pickford is out. Big blow to United's chances of getting the 3 points.

The Pickford thing is pretty clear that it’s a phantom rib injury to protect his England stock. He has been one of the worst keepers in the league this season

 

[Savant]

Kabak is cleared. Eligible to play against Man City. Fabinho, Mane and Alisson all training today.

All the pressure is on City this game. They are the ones in the title race. LFC doesn’t have the home record to protect anymore and City haven’t shown they can get results at Anfield. Interesting game. Supposedly no KDB or Aguero either.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

This is the only game between now and the end of the season that I would like Sheffield United to lose

 

[Savant]

This is the only game between now and the end of the season that I would like Sheffield United to lose

Going to be tough for the three teams in the bottom to climb out but I would rather trade Sheffield for like Burnley any day. Newcastle deserve to go down too but if they brought in a better manager than Steve Bruce I wouldn’t mind.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Kabak is cleared. Eligible to play against Man City. Fabinho, Mane and Alisson all training today.

All the pressure is on City this game. They are the ones in the title race. LFC doesn’t have the home record to protect anymore and City haven’t shown they can get results at Anfield. Interesting game. Supposedly no KDB or Aguero either.

I dont think thats the case at all. City have won 12 straight brought back from the dead and built a respectable lead win lose or draw they're in a good spot. LFC on the other hand are spiralling, the title could still be there's but this is a must win game if that will happen. If they lose more noise about not making the top 4 will be made. What then?

 

[Epictetus]

I would agree with the pressure on City but after Liverpool lost and City won last week, this game is less material to City. So the pressure is on Liverpool.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

It's extremely delusional to claim that the pressure is on City and not Liverpool here, IMO

 

[hatterson]

Worst case scenario for City is that they're level at the top of the table after this weekend with a game in hand.

Worst case scenario for Liverpool is being in fifth and only a point ahead of 6th and 7th (with one of those teams having 2 games in hand)

There's clearly more pressure on Liverpool.

 

[Savant]

It's extremely delusional to claim that the pressure is on City and not Liverpool here, IMO

There’s no pressure on Liverpool. They have 5 players to re-integrate into the team and no one has any expectations to win. City have to prove they can win at Anfield AND keep holding United off. This game is a free hit for them. Sure they want to win but it’s not going to make or break their season

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

There’s no pressure on Liverpool. They have 5 players to re-integrate into the team and no one has any expectations to win. City have to prove they can win at Anfield AND keep holding United off.

Prove to who? They don’t necessarily need to win at anfield to win any trophy. City aren’t going to run the table, I just don’t see how a team who’s at the top of the table playing another game is any more pressure. You’re grasping at straws

 

[Jussi]

If United lose tomorrow, everyone on the team can walk home and stay there.

 

[Savant]

Prove to who? They don’t necessarily need to win at anfield to win any trophy. City aren’t going to run the table, I just don’t see how a team who’s at the top of the table playing another game is any more pressure. You’re grasping at straws

No one expects anything of Liverpool right now. It’s a free hit for them. City need to keep United away.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

No one expects anything of Liverpool right now. It’s a free hit for them. City need to keep United away.

So city is expected to run the table?

 

[Savant]

So city is expected to run the table?

No but they certainly could go on a run like they did in 18/19. If you think City is cleaning up now, look at what their schedule at the end of the season looks like.

Liverpool isn’t going to lose the table either. No one expects LFC to win this game.

the difference is if City drop points then United are going to be feeling a lot better. If City win, United are going to be wondering how many chances are left that City are going to drop points.

 

[hatterson]

Liverpool has far more to lose than City, that isn't even debatable.

If Liverpool loses they're likely outside of CL places, having lost 3 of the last 5, and still need to stabilize their defense.

If City loses they're still the odds on favorite for the title.

 

[Savant]

Liverpool has far more to lose than City, that isn't even debatable.

If Liverpool loses they're likely outside of CL places, having lost 3 of the last 5, and still need to stabilize their defense.

If City loses they're still the odds on favorite for the title.

I don’t agree but that’s okay. This game doesn’t make or break LFC season at this point.

This is one of the few games left in the season where City could drop points though.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

This doesn’t make or break city’s season either.I’d rather be up 13 games then losing 2 out of 5.

 

[East Coast Bias]

Klopp sure doesn't sound like a manager whose team has nothing to lose.

 

[Savant]

Klopp sure doesn't sound like a manager whose team has nothing to lose.

That’s how he always sounds.

 

[Halladay]

That’s how he always sounds.

I'm not sure why you are tricking yourself to believe that this game is more important for City. Liverpool have lost two home matches in a row and haven't scored at home in nearly 4 matches. They have Leicester and Everton after. City havent won at Anfield in nearly 20 years. Liverpool dropping 7 points in their last 5 games has made this game more imperative to them. They need at least a draw.

 

[hatterson]

I don’t agree but that’s okay. This game doesn’t make or break LFC season at this point.

This is one of the few games left in the season where City could drop points though.

One of the few? They're 3 points up on United and 5 on Leicester and have played one less than each of them.

United has dropped 22 points in the first 22 games and Leicester has dropped 24. Even if those teams half that number of points dropped over the last 16 games (would be 8 dropped for United and 9 for Leicester) *and* City lose their game in hand that still gives City 11 or 14 points to play with that they can drop.

Realistically, City could go something like 10-4-3 over their last 17 games and still win the title by 3-5 points.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Klopp sure doesn't sound like a manager whose team has nothing to lose.

Pep bites back: I'll set Klopp straight on Sunday

 

[Savant]

Pep bites back: I'll set Klopp straight on Sunday

This is a bit misleading. From watching the press conference, it seemed to me at least (and If I am wrong that’s fine), Klopp the context was more around two Matchweeks (games in hand) rather than a two week vacation. But obviously the media went with it because that’s not as exciting.