The international break is over!!!
What a way to get back to Premier League life as two of the most attack-minded sides in England go head-to-head at the Etihad Stadium.
Manchester City host Liverpool in Saturday afternoon’s lunchtime kick-off, with goals expected given the talent on display.
Here’s how City line-up today! 🙌 #cityvlfc #mancity
Brought to you by @haysworldwide pic.twitter.com/eNakY0iT4s
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 9, 2017
Subs: Bravo, Foden, Mangala, Sane, Gundogan, Delph, Bernardo
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 9, 2017
Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane all start while Liverpool’s deadline day signing, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, has had to be content with a place on the bench.
📋 The #LFC team to face @ManCity. pic.twitter.com/vMaUUo0rar
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 9, 2017
#LFC substitutes against @ManCity: Karius, Lovren, Gomez, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Solanke, Sturridge.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 9, 2017
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp had already prepared his club’s supporters for the absence of Philippe Coutinho this weekend.
Coutinho made no secret of his desire to join Barcelona in the transfer window but Liverpool rejected all bids for their Brazilian playmaker.
“We had a very good talk,” Klopp said on Friday. “He was in a very good mood and training was even better.
“But I had to make a decision. We have seven games in the next three weeks so there will never be time really to train.
“Before [Coutinho] went to Brazil he couldn’t train for about three weeks. That means we have to prepare him for the rest of the season, which is quite difficult with our fixture schedule.
“So I decided to leave him out of the squad for City. We can use these four or five days for real and proper training.
“We got all the numbers from the Brazilian FA around the intensity of training and stuff like this.
“That was all okay but he played twice, for around 15 or 20 minutes I think.
“He could have played 15 or 20 minutes again in the City game, maybe longer, but I think it makes sense [to omit him].
“He agreed completely. It was a good conversation.”
