The final month of the Premier League season has lost a little bit of its panache as there is no title race after Liverpool locked down their first league title last week. That has taken some of the shine off of this week’s clash against Manchester City, but there is still something at stake when these two rivals meet at the Etihad. Liverpool have the opportunity to break Manchester City’s record for points in a Premier League campaign, as the Reds have the potential to finish the season with 107 points. The Citizens became the first EPL team to hit 100 points just two years ago, and they would like to hold on to their record.
Don't miss the English Premier League action from Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England at 3:15 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 2, 2020. Catch every moment of the match live on NBCSN.
EPL Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Manchester City +107
Liverpool +231
Draw +278
Over/Under 3
Odds Analysis
Although the Citizens have been a big disappointment in league play, this can still be a successful season for Manchester City. The club is favored to win the FA Cup over Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal, and they stand an excellent chance of being one of the eight teams in Lisbon after beating Real Madrid 2-1 at the Bernabeu back in February. City are essentially locked into second place in the Premier League with an eight-point lead over Leicester City with seven matches left to play, but they seem likely to drop points given their form and what’s on the horizon.
Liverpool are chasing history at this point. Since they have been eliminated from the FA Cup and the Champions League, their season will be over after these last seven matches, and Jurgen Klopp has refocused their goal on being the most successful team in league history. The Reds are 28-2-1, and they still stand a good chance of breaking City’s record even if they suffer a loss on Thursday. Of course, a victory would make their task that much easier, so they should be more motivated than their counterparts.
The Reds bested the Citizens 3-1 at Anfield earlier this season, and that victory showed the world that Liverpool were well on their way to their first league title.
Key Injuries
Sergio Aguero won’t play for the remainder of the domestic campaign after tearing ligaments in his knee a couple weeks ago, and Fernandinho will miss this match after picking up a red card against Chelsea last Thursday. Eric Garcia is considered questionable due to a concussion, but he must be cleared before retaking the pitch.
We won’t see Nathaniel Clyne in Liverpool red and white again after the club announced that they intended to release the injured defender at the end of the summer. Xherdan Shaqiri and Joel Matip are also going to miss this match with lower leg injuries, while James Milner will be sidelined with a thigh injury.
Matchup to Watch
These are the two highest scoring teams in the Premier League by a mile, so the impetus will be on the back line and goalkeepers to get the job done. Virgil van Dijk and Aymeric Laporte are the two best defenders in the league, and Ederson and Alisson are the best keepers.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
Liverpool is an underdog, but the Reds have the rest advantage coming into this match. They haven’t played in over a week since beating Crystal Palace on Wednesday, while the Citizens faced Newcastle United in the FA Cup Quarterfinals. Given the condensed schedule, City might be gassed as they have now played three matches in a week, so Liverpool is the play.
English Premier League Odds: Liverpool 2, Manchester City 1
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