Liverpool face Man City at Anfield on Sunday knowing Pep Guardiola’s squad is not at full strength, with several key names either missing, short of minutes, or still being assessed close to kick-off.
The headline concern for City is captain Bernardo Silva, with Guardiola admitting the 31-year-old Portuguese midfielder remains a doubt after missing the midweek Carabao Cup win over Newcastle United.
“Don’t know yet, tomorrow training.” (via Liverpoolfc.com)
That uncertainty matters because Bernardo Silva is one of Guardiola’s most trusted players in big games, and it often shapes how Man City press, keep the ball, and control tempo in central areas.
Man City team news: who Guardiola says is out
Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, and Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City
City do have a major boost in Ruben Dias, with the 28-year-old Portuguese centre-back back in the matchday squad after a month out with a hamstring injury.
“He’s back. We’ll see if he will play minutes, but good news for us.”
John Stones is also moving in the right direction, although the 31-year-old is clearly not being rushed given he has only just returned to team training.
“John made yesterday the first training session with the team and is step by step coming back.”
In attack, Erling Haaland’s starting status was left open despite the Norway striker being described in typically glowing terms by Guardiola.
“Always I said, Erling is the best striker in the world. I don’t know [if he will start at Anfield]. We will see tomorrow. Always, I say Erling is the best.”
Away from the headline names, Liverpoolfc.com noted that Jeremy Doku has missed City’s last two fixtures with injury and Savinho has not played since New Year’s Day, which leaves Guardiola juggling wide options even if Bernardo Silva recovers in time.
City also have longer-term absentees, with Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic listed as out, and that is the sort of disruption that can force Man City into unfamiliar solutions at either full-back or in midfield.
Liverpool are dealing with their own issues as well, with Arne Slot confirming Jeremie Frimpong is unavailable and Joe Gomez only a possible bench option, which is why this match feels like it could be decided by who adapts best rather than who arrives with the cleanest XI.
Peter Crouch is backing a 2-2 draw while tipping Hugo Ekitike to score first, demonstrating the sense of volatility around this fixture where both squads have had to manage absences and fitness calls.
Opta’s supercomputer has still made Liverpool favourites, giving us a 43% chance of winning compared to Man City’s 30.3% and a 26.7% draw, which is another reminder that the Anfield factor remains powerful even when neither side is perfect.
The wider match context: why these Man City absences could matter
Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City
This will be the 200th meeting between the clubs in all competitions, with Liverpool holding a 95-53 advantage, and we have lost only one of the last 22 Premier League home matches against Man City, which underlines why Guardiola’s selection calls are so important on this particular trip.
City’s recent pattern is also an interesting one, Guardiola’s team have not conceded a first-half goal in 2026 so far but have also not scored a second-half goal in that same period, and that split can become decisive if the match turns into a late tactical battle rather than an early shoot-out.
If Bernardo Silva misses out and Dias is still being managed, then Man City’s spine looks slightly less settled than usual, and that is exactly the sort of marginal swing we have to exploit if we want to turn a tight game into a winning one.