This is the biggest clash of the 2018-19 Premier League season so far. Third-place Manchester City hosts first-place Liverpool (live updates) on Thursday in the first game of 2019 for both teams, and it's a contest that could go a long way in deciding who ends up winning the league come the spring.
Jurgen Klopp's team enters the game with an undefeated record at 17-3-0 and 54 points, while City has 48 points with a record of 15-2-3. City has led the league for most of the season, but recent results has turned the tide, putting Liverpool in the driver's seat in the new year.
Here's how you can watch the match and what to know:
Premier League: Man. City vs. Liverpool
- Date: Thursday, Jan. 3
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Etihad Stadium in Manchester
- TV channel: NBCSN
- Streaming: fuboTV (Try for free)
- Odds: Man. City +100 / Liverpool +250 / Draw +270
Storylines
Man. City: City lost its scoring touch a bit in recent weeks. From Dec. 8 to Boxing Day, the club lost three of its four Premier League games, scoring three goals in the three losses. In the seven games leading up to the rough patch, City scored 26 goals. But the issue hasn't been the creativity. The team has been able to consistently threaten, but there are just times when the ball won't go in. City better hope Thursday isn't one of those days, because a loss could see them on the verge of being too far behind in the title race.
Liverpool: No team is playing better than Liverpool. The Reds have scored at least three goals in each of their last four games, having put five past Arsenal last time out. And with a win here, the Reds would go 10 points clear of City. But on the road, getting a draw will feel like a really good point for this club.
Liverpool vs. Manchester City prediction
An even match sees each team get golden chances late, but the goalkeepers come up big as the match ends in a draw.
Pick: Draw (+270)
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