BIG MATCH FEATURE: Liverpool look to deepen Man City crisis

Liverpool can take another giant step towards just a second English top-flight title in 35 years against fragile Manchester City on Sunday as Ruben Amorim aims for a first Premier League win as Manchester United manager. Catch the action live on SuperSport.

The top-of-the-table clash at Anfield offers Arsenal, who face West Ham, and Chelsea, who host Aston Villa, the chance to gain ground.

AFP Sport picks out some of the key talking points ahead of this weekend's action:

LIVERPOOL'S LEAGUE TO LOSE?

Arne Slot's rampant Reds go into the weekend off the high of beating Real Madrid 2-0 to top the Champions League table.

Liverpool have barely put a foot wrong in the Premier League either, surging into an eight-point lead after just 12 games.

All three teams who have enjoyed a lead of eight points or more at this stage of the season in Premier League history have gone on to win the title.

CITY ARE THERE FOR THE TAKING.

Winless in six matches, the English champions are physically and mentally "fragile", according to manager Pep Guardiola, who is experiencing the worst run of his career in the dugout.

"It has been, is being and will be a tough season for us. We have to accept it for many circumstances," he said.

Even at their best during a glorious era under the Catalan, City have failed to tame Anfield, with their last win there in front of a crowd coming back in 2003.

WHAT THE STATS SAY

Liverpool have won just one of their last nine Premier League games against Manchester City (D5 L3), a 1-0 home victory in October 2022.

Manchester City have won just one of their last 21 Premier League away games against Liverpool (D7 L13), beating them 4-1 in February 2021. They’ve not won at Anfield with fans in attendance since May 2003 (2-1).

The away side has won just six of the 54 Premier League meetings between Liverpool and Manchester City, the lowest percentage of any fixture to be played more than 30 times in the competition (11%).

Manchester City have won five of their last six Premier League games against sides starting the day top of the table (D1). However, their last such defeat was a 3-1 loss against Liverpool at Anfield in November 2019, with the Reds going on to lift the title that season.

Liverpool’s only Premier League defeat so far this season was a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest at Anfield. They’ve won seven of their eight league games since then (D1), scoring at least twice in seven of those games.

Manchester City have lost their last three Premier League games, as many as they had in their previous 47 combined (W35 D9). They last lost four consecutive league games between April-August 2008, while they last did so in the same season between January-March 2007 (5).

In his managerial career, Man City’s Pep Guardiola has only lost more games against Tottenham (9) than he has against Liverpool (8). Indeed, he’s won just six of his 22 meetings with the Reds (27%), his lowest win rate against any side he’s faced more than five times in all competitions.

This will be Arne Slot’s first meeting with both Manchester City and their manager Pep Guardiola. None of Liverpool’s last six managers have lost their first ever league meeting with England’s reigning champions (W4 D2), since Roy Evans’ 1-0 loss to Manchester United in 1993-94.

As well as having the most goals and assists combined in the Premier League this season (16), Mohamed Salah’s goal involvements have also been worth a league-high 17 points to Liverpool this term.

Three of Ilkay Gündogan’s four Premier League goals against Liverpool have come at Anfield, with no Man City player scoring more away against the Reds in the competition’s history (Nicolas Anelka also three). His next appearance will be his 200th in the Premier League, while if Man City win here, he would be the third player to win as many as 150 of his first 200 appearances in the competition (currently 149 – Bernardo Silva won 153 and Ederson 151 of first 200).

AMORIM SEEKS HOME COMFORTS

Amorim did not hold back after seeing Manchester United labour to a 1-1 draw at lowly Ipswich in his first match in charge last weekend.

"We are going to suffer for a long period," said the Portuguese coach. "This will take time, but I know we have to win games."

The visit of struggling Everton to Old Trafford offers the Red Devils the perfect chance to kickstart life under their new boss.

The Toffees (10) are one of only three sides to have scored fewer Premier League goals this season than United's 13.

Sean Dyche's men are just two points above the relegation zone and have not beaten United away from home since 2013.

United, who sit 12th, need to make the most of home advantage to move swiftly back up the table with daunting trips to Arsenal and City to come in two of their following three league games.

Villa hit the skids

Aston Villa are another side struggling for form. A 0-0 draw against Juventus in midweek extended their winless run to seven games in all competitions.

Unai Emery's men are still well placed to progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League in their first taste of Europe's elite competition for four decades.

But their European exertions are beginning to take a toll domestically. Villa have taken just seven points from their past seven league games to slip to eighth.

Next up is a difficult trip to Chelsea, who are flying high in Enzo Maresca's first season in charge.

The Blues sit third, ahead of Arsenal on goals scored, and could easily end the weekend as Liverpool's closest challengers should City fail to end their winless run at Anfield.

Arsenal have bounced back to form with comprehensive wins over Nottingham Forest and Sporting Lisbon and will go second for 24 hours at least with victory at West Ham on Saturday.

Fixtures (all times GMT)

Friday: Brighton v Southampton (2000)

Saturday: Brentford v Leicester, Crystal Palace v Newcastle, Nottingham Forest v Ipswich, Wolves v Bournemouth (all 1500), West Ham v Arsenal (1730)

Sunday: Chelsea v Aston Villa, Manchester United v Everton, Tottenham v Fulham (all 1330), Liverpool v Manchester City (1600)