Liverpool vs Manchester City kicks off on 11 Oct 2026 at 11:30 EST and 15:30 GMT.
A frosty reception awaits Manchester City at Anfield
This will be Manchester City's first match since they were found guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League's financial rules, so they should get an interesting reception at one of their nearest recent rivals.
City likely to be top of the table on Sunday
Manchester City will still sit at the summit of the Premier League at the time of kickoff on Sunday since they enjoy a three-point lead and a four-goal advantage over second-placed Arsenal, who meet Leeds on Saturday. The Citizens have made a flawless start to the season on the pitch, winning seven matches on the bounce across all competitions, including a 100% record in the league. They've scored 10 goals in their last two home wins over Norwich in the EFL Cup and Sunderland in a 5-3 win in the EPL, while they've notched consecutive clean-sheet wins on the road against Man United and Porto.
Getty ImagesReds still adjusting to a new manager
Although Liverpool are unbeaten in nine matches overall across all competitions, they've looked less than convincing in the Premier League this term. They've won their last two EPL matches on the road with clean sheets, but produced stalemates (2-2 vs Nottingham Forest and 0-0 vs Fulham) in their last two league outings at Anfield.
Getty ImagesKey stats & injury news
- Leading assist-maker Cody Gakpo, Hugo Ekitike and Conor Bradley are the notable long-term injury absentees for Liverpool.
- Phil Foden is suspended for the visitors following a red card against Man United.
- City have won the last three H2Hs by an aggregate score of 9-1, but have only won two of their last 16 EPL visits to Anfield but they did win last season's corresponding fixture with a late Erling Haaland goal.
- The Norwegian striker has five goals in his last three meetings with the Reds.
Getty ImagesTeam news & squads
Liverpool vs Manchester City Probable lineups
Manager
- A. Iraola
Liverpool go into the match with a significant number of players unavailable. Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, Federico Chiesa, Vitezslav Jaros, and Cody Gakpo are all listed as injured, leaving Iraola with limited options across multiple positions. Further updates are expected as the club assesses fitness levels following the international break.
Maresca faces his own selection headaches at City. Antoine Semenyo and Nico O'Reilly are both injured, while Phil Foden is suspended. The fitness of Haaland, who came off during Norway's defeat to Portugal, remains the most pressing concern ahead of kick-off.
Form
Liverpool arrive at this fixture with four wins and one draw from their last five matches across all competitions. Their most recent outing ended in a 1-0 win away at Bournemouth in the Premier League, and they have also picked up victories against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup, Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, and Ipswich Town in the league. The draw came at Fulham, where neither side scored. Across those five matches, Liverpool scored eight goals and conceded three, suggesting a side that creates plenty but has not always been watertight at the back.
Manchester City's recent record is more emphatic. They have won all five of their last matches, scoring 13 goals in the process and conceding six. That run includes a 5-3 league win over Sunderland, a 5-0 Carabao Cup victory against Norwich, and wins over Manchester United and Porto. City have shown a capacity to score freely, though their defensive numbers across that run indicate they are not without vulnerability.
Head-to-Head Record
The most recent meeting between these sides ended in a 4-0 win for Manchester City over Liverpool in the FA Cup in April 2026. Before that, City won 1-2 at Anfield in the Premier League in February 2026 and claimed a 3-0 home win in November 2025. Liverpool's wins in this run came in February 2025, when City were beaten 2-0 at home, and in December 2024, when Liverpool won 2-0 at Anfield. Across the five most recent fixtures, City have won three and Liverpool two, with City scoring 10 goals to Liverpool's four.
Standings
In the Premier League table, Manchester City sit top ahead of this fixture, while Liverpool are placed sixth, giving the home side added incentive to close the gap with a positive result at Anfield.