While Man City and Liverpool are in very different league positions as they meet at the Etihad on Saturday for an early kickoff, the matchup between these two powers still comes with high stakes attached.
The hosts are battling for their lives in the Premier League title race, holding a game in hand on leaders Arsenal but sitting eight points back. The margin for error has evaporated, and thus, City manager Pep Guardiola will know every single point is crucial.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have spent much of the season among the mid-table pack, but a recent surge has seen them into sixth, and they now rest just seven points back of a Champions League place with two games in hand.
Jurgen Klopp and Guardiola have a complicated history, but considering both clubs need every point they can muster to stay alive in their respective battles, this should be a desperate affair in Manchester as the Premier League returns from the March international break.
The Sporting News football betting expert Kyle Bonn shares his best bets, props, and high risk/high return fliers for some of the biggest matches in the sport each week. Since the start of 2023, his best bets have hit 53.7% of the time, while his overall selections have generated a profit of over 35 units thus far. He has also correctly predicted 39 of 66 match outcomes via his three-way moneyline leans to date.
MORE: Man City vs Liverpool live score, updates, highlights, lineups and result from Premier League match
Man City vs Liverpool odds
Manchester City, who have been oddsmaker darlings all season, are significant favourites to win at home against Liverpool, despite recent history between these clubs, which has seen Jurgen Klopp get the better of Pep Guardiola on a number of occasions.
Goals are expected to flow between these two teams, as the over 2.5 goals total is juiced heavily. Fans betting this angle will want to keep an eye on Liverpool injury news, with the status of a few Reds attackers up in the air entering the weekend.
| Man City win | Draw | Liverpool win | Both teams to score Y / N | Over / Under 2.5 goals | MCFC -0.5 | LIV +0.5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM (USA) | -175 | +310 | +475 | -145 / +105 | -165 / +120 | -190 | +135 |
| Sports Interaction (Canada) | -196 | +344 | +408 | -161 / +102 | -167 / +126 | -175 | +137 |
| SkyBet (UK) | 8/15 | 10/3 | 19/4 | 4/6, 11/10 | 4/7, 5/4 | — | — |
| Neds (Australia) | 1.57 | 4.00 | 5.50 | 1.67 / 2.10 | 1.64 / 2.25 | — | — |
| Dafabet (India) | 1.61 | 4.40 | 5.40 | 1.71 / 2.16 | — | — | — |
Man City vs Liverpool: Three things to know
Man City vs Liverpool match facts
- Date: Saturday, April 1
- Kickoff Time: 7:30 a.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. GMT / 10:30 p.m. AEDT (Sun, Apr. 2)
- Location: Etihad Stadium (Manchester, England)
- Official: Simon Hooper
- Last meeting: Man City 3-2 Liverpool (Dec. 22, 2022 | EFL Cup)
Man City vs Liverpool team news
England star Phil Foden will not take the field for Man City after he departed international duty to be treated for appendicitis, likely to miss the next few weeks. Erling Haaland is also out after he missed international duty due to a groin injury. Those are the only two injury concerns for Man City, who otherwise have a fully fit squad.
Liverpool are waiting until the last moment on key players who could return from long-term injuries in this match. Both Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez are facing late fitness tests to return from absences, but it could be just a little early for both. Thiago is definitely still sidelined, and Stefan Bajcetic will miss the rest of the season with a groin injury.
MORE: Updated Premier League table with title, Champions League, and relegation race breakdowns
Man City vs Liverpool key stats
- The last 12 matches between these clubs across all competitions have featured a whopping 43 goals, averaging 3.58 goals per game.
- Dating back to the start of 2018, Man City have beaten Liverpool just four times in 17 matches across all competitions.
- According to Opta, the Premier League leader in positive expected goals on target differential is none other than Roberto Firmino of Liverpool, who has scored eight goals on just 4.47 xG, with a 2.85 differential between xGOT and xG. Firmino is set to depart Liverpool at the end of the season.
Man City vs Liverpool prediction
- Moneyline lean: Man City (-175)
- Against the spread lean (handicap): Man City -0.5 (-190)
- Score prediction: Man City 3-1 Liverpool
Even with the swing towards City, there's no way we'd be gutsy enough to take Liverpool in this match.
Sure, Klopp has repeatedly found ways to poke holes in Guardiola's plans, but Liverpool have just been too unpredictable this season to be reliable. Especially given the midfield injuries the Reds are dealing with, the hosts should manage to find a pathway through to three points.
Man City vs Liverpool best bet
- Pick: Man City last team to score 2H (second half)
- Odds: -145 (BetMGM)
Regardless of how the match progresses in the first 45 minutes, there's no way this Liverpool team can hang with City throughout the entire game given how depleted their squad is, especially in midfield. Man City should have the final say in this game, whether it's to put the icing on the cake, or to secure the points late.
Man City vs Liverpool prop bet
- Pick: Over 3.5 goals
- Odds: +145 (BetMGM)
Taking the over 3.5 total goals here is a high bar to clear, but history says there's still a very good chance of this happening. These teams have averaged 3.58 goals over their last 12 games, and have gone over the 3.5 goals total in eight of their last 10 meetings across all competitions.
While both sides have a few attacking players whose status is questionable coming into this game, neither side relies solely on those players to score goals. Sure, Erling Haaland is on a record pace, but Man City have found plenty of other ways to score, while Liverpool have been their unpredictable selves no matter who is in the lineup.
Man City vs Liverpool prop bet
- Pick: Mohamed Salah anytime goalscorer
- Odds: +280 (BetMGM)
Picking a Man City goalscorer, especially with Erling Haaland missing the match, is a difficult prospect, but for Liverpool, one player stands above the rest when it comes to scoring against Manchester City.
Mo Salah is back to good form this season, with four goals in his last six games, but it's his record against Man City that put this prop over the top. He has five goals in his last seven games against City across all competitions, and he finds the back of the net regardless of how the result ends up. With good odds that are about level with most other Liverpool attackers, Salah should be the one to net for the Reds no matter the final score.
Man City vs Liverpool live stream, TV channel
MORE: Watch Premier League matches live with Fubo in the USA
| TV channel | Streaming | |
|---|---|---|
| USA | — | Peacock |
| Canada | — | Fubo Canada |
| UK | BT Sport 1 | BT Sport |
| Australia | — | Stan Sport |
| New Zealand | Sky Sport Premier League | Sky Sports NOW |
| India | Star Sports Select 2 | Hotstar VIP, JioTV |
| Hong Kong | Now Premier League (Ch. 620-621) | Now E, Now Player |
| Malaysia | Astro SuperSport 3 | Astro Go, sooka |
| Singapore | — | StarHub TV+ |
