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Liverpool will host Manchester City this Sunday in what is the Merseysiders' biggest test of the season so far. This fixture is what most Premier League fans would have predicted as an early-season title decider. However, Liverpool have pretty much taken themselves out of the title race after a poor start to the season.
Jurgen Klopp's side sit 10th in the league after eight matches and things could get a whole lot worse after this weekend. Meanwhile, buoyed by new signing Erling Haaland's goals, Manchester City are flying in the new season. They are second in the table with 23 points, one short of league leaders Arsenal.
Despite whatever has happened up until this point in the Premier League, Saturday's match between two of England's strongest sides promises to be a cracker. Although Liverpool have not looked anywhere near as threatening as City have in the opening phase of the season, they simply cannot be written off.
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Without further ado, let's take a look at five reasons why Liverpool could surprise Manchester City in the Premier League this weekend.
#5 The Anfield factor
Liverpool head into Sunday's game desperate for a win. They have picked up just two wins in eight Premier League games so far. Klopp's men have also conceded losses in their two big league games so far, namely against Arsenal and Manchester United.
The game against Manchester City will be their toughest challenge yet. But Manchester City need to be wary of the Anfield factor. The Reds haven't lost a single one of their last 27 home league games. They are unbeaten at Anfield in all competitions so far this season.
Virgil van Dijk is yet to lose a single home game for Liverpool and will be leading their backline. Suffice to say, it's going to take something special to beat this Liverpool side at home.
#4 Robert Firmino's resurgence
When Darwin Nunez was signed in the summer, it looked like Roberto Firmino's life at Liverpool would soon come to an end. However, the Uruguay international has struggled to hit his stride and this has allowed Firmino to earn a fresh lease of life at the club.
Firmino has been knitting play for Liverpool to great effect once again and it has worked out well for them so far. The Brazil international has been in fine form so far this season and has been Liverpool's most effective attacker.
In 12 appearances across all competitions so far this term, Firmino has scored eight goals and provided four assists. With Luis Diaz out injured, Klopp will be forced to use Firmino and that could help Liverpool massively in attack.
#3 Joe Gomez instead of Trent Alexander Arnold will add defensive solidity
Trent Alexander-Arnold's form has been quite worrying this season. The Englishman has been nowhere near his best and has looked extremely vulnerable in defense. With him at right-back, Liverpool have appeared weak during defensive transitions.
Alexander-Arnold is currently out with an ankle injury. This means that Klopp will have to depend on Joe Gomez to patrol the right flank. This could be a blessing in disguise for Liverpool as Gomez is a lot more defensively formidable than Alexander-Arnold.
While he definitely can't create play or progress the ball as well as Alexander-Arnold, Gomez will make Liverpool a lot harder to play through.
#2 Liverpool dispatched Manchester City comfortably in the Community Shield
We're well aware of the fact that the Community Shield is more or less like a pre-season game. However, it's worth noting that Liverpool were able to beat City in rather comfortable fashion in that game.
Liverpool won the match 3-1 and also managed to keep Erling Haaland quiet for the greater part of the game. City have obviously become a much more well-oiled unit over the course of the last two months.
But the fixture has brought out the best in Liverpool players in recent times and we're expecting to see more of the same this Sunday.
#1 Mohamed Salah back among the goals at the right time
Liverpool thrashed Rangers 7-1 in a Champions League group stage game on Wednesday (12 October). Mohamed Salah scored a six-minute hat-trick, the fastest in the history of the competition, to put the game beyond doubt for Klopp's side.
After a rather slow start to the season by his own lofty standards, the Egypt international seems to have found his shooting boots again. He has scored five goals and provided one assist in his last five appearances across all competitions.
Salah has scored six goals and provided four assists in 16 appearances across all competitions against Manchester City. Having an in-form Salah leading the line could help tilt the game in Liverpool's favor.
