Manchester City v Liverpool- Preview and possible lineups

TEAM NEWS: 

Manchester City:

After recovering from a winter stumble in recent weeks, the defending champions head into this match knowing that they must win if they are to hold any realistic hopes of a successful title defence. Nevertheless, a strong performance in the reverse fixture against Liverpool will give Pep Guardiola and his side much encouragement that they can achieve the desired result on Thursday. 

City will aim to take back second position and cut the gap over leaders Liverpool to four points with a victory, and thus start the new year off in the same vein as they did the last, with strong momentum.  Regarding absentees for this huge match; the hosts will be boosted by the probable return of linchpin Fernandinho and fellow midfielders Ilkay Gundogan and Leroy Sane. Meanwhile star man Kevin De Bruyne may also feature, though he must come through a late fitness test to do so. 

Liverpool:

Still unbeaten in the Premier League so far this season, Jurgen Klopp's side can go nine points clear of opponents City if they take victory in this match. Even still, they will be further buoyed by the fact that if they do slip up, the champions can only move to within four of them at the top of the table. The visitors will still be wary of City however, as Guardiola´s side came excruciatingly close to beating them in the reverse fixture earlier on this campaign. 

Regarding team news for this clash; defenders Joe Gomez and Joel Matip are ruled out through injury, while James Milner is a doubt to face his former employers after missing the last two league outings. Alberto Moreno is available for selection, although he is unlikely to be preferred over stalwart Andy Robertson, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is making progress in his recovery from an ACL injury, but has only just resumed normal training and will not feature. 

PRE-MATCH MUSINGS...

Guardiola on title race and tough task ahead: 

"​Liverpool will punish for mistakes. They are so, so good. I learn about my team in good moments and how we react in tough competitions, like against Hoffenheim after we went down after one minute."

"I said after the Leicester defeat, it won’t change how I feel about my squad. We fought a lot and have problems and how we react, even after 3-0 down in Champions League. They showed me that even in first season, we never give up."

Klopp on City clash and the title race

"We have to be prepared as well as possible. We have to be brave, we have to be full of desire, angry again, all that stuff – like in all the other games – but with the knowledge that the opponent is, for me, still the best team in the world. "

"We are in a really good position in that group of challengers, that was the first achievement. And the people are now really happy that it looks like there could be something special. The season so far is already special and they enjoyed it so far."

FORM GUIDE:

DID YOU KNOW?

City have won just one of their last eight meetings with Liverpool in all competitions, although that did come in am emphatic 5-1 triumph in the corresponding fixture last season. 

Liverpool won their most recent visit to the Etihad stadium, in the Champions League quarter-finals last season. 

But for a late missed penalty, City should have won the most recent meeting between the sides. The reverse fixture earlier on this season ended goalless at Anfield.

POSSIBLE LINEUPS:

Manchester City: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Zinchenko; Bernardo, Fernandinho, Silva; Sterling, Aguero, Sane

Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Henderson; Mane, Firmino, Keita; Salah