For the final time in the Premier League, Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp and Manchester City's Pep Guardiola will share a warm embrace on the Anfield touchline on Sunday afternoon, before the first whistle blows in their tantalising top-flight battle.
Only one place and one point separates the two titans after 27 games of the 2023-24 season, although Arsenal knocked both sides down a spot with their beating of Brentford on Saturday evening.
Match preview
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While Klopp and Guardiola could still engage in a battle of wits in this year's FA Cup final, this weekend's mouthwatering showdown will be the last time that the pair butt heads with precious Premier League points at stake, not to mention outright control of the title race.
Thanks to their latest Premier League winning goal on record and the 10th latest in the history of the competition - since data became available - the crown is currently the Reds' to lose, as Darwin Nunez came up with an extraordinary 99th-minute header to down Nottingham Forest last weekend, earning Liverpool's first Premier League win at the City Ground in the process.
Whether the Reds' winner should have stood has been a hot-button topic - referee Paul Tierney awarded an incorrect drop-ball according to the laws of the game - and as Nottingham Forest players and staff lost their rag at full time, Liverpool rejoiced in maintaining their one-point lead over the Citizens in the table.
However, Klopp's side were demoted to the runners-up spot when Arsenal overcame Brentford on Saturday, but the Reds arrive back on Merseyside following a taxing - but worthwhile - Czech Republic jaunt, demolishing Sparta Prague 5-1 in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 showdown.
The epet Arena annihilation of the Maroons marked Liverpool's seventh successive win across all tournaments since last month's 3-1 beating at the hands of Arsenal, and the Reds boast an identical triumphant streak at home, where they are now without defeat in 29 straight fixtures since Real Madrid's Champions League crushing 13 months ago.
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At least three goals have also flown into the opposition net in six of Liverpool's last seven Anfield contests, but with the hosts only managing one clean sheet from their last nine home affairs, an equally rampant Man City have every right to dream of playing the role of party poopers.
Beginning the month of March with back-to-back Premier League blockbusters, Guardiola's side were shocked by a Marcus Rashford rocket against Manchester United last weekend, but hotshot Phil Foden (two) and Erling Haaland - atoning for one of the worst misses the competition has ever seen - completed the Citizens' expected comeback.
While Liverpool still have 90 minutes of their Europa League tie to go before they can celebrate progression, the Manchester mammoths cruised into the last eight of the Champions League with a 6-2 aggregate beating of Copenhagen - earning a straightforward 3-1 home success on Wednesday - and a second straight treble is still a possibility for Sunday's visitors.
Sixteen of Man City's last 17 matches across all tournaments have ended in victory - including each of their last five - since December's 1-0 reverse at the hands of Aston Villa, which has preceded an astonishing 10-game winning run on the road for the reigning top-flight champions.
A 1-1 Etihad stalemate earlier in the season saw Man City stretch their unbeaten run against Liverpool to three matches since a 1-0 defeat in this exact fixture last season, but the Reds have only been beaten in one of their last 20 Premier League home games versus the Citizens, and that 4-1 loss in February 2021 came inside an empty stadium deprived of the unnerving Anfield atmosphere.
Team News
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Liverpool's trouncing of Sparta in the Europa League saw Mohamed Salah make his comeback from a second muscle injury of the year - the Egyptian even had a seemingly good goal bizarrely disallowed for offside - and a recall to the first XI for the first time since New Year's Day awaits the effervescent attacker.
The Reds are still guaranteed to be without eight players, though, as Ben Doak (knee), Joel Matip (knee), Trent Alexander-Arnold (knee), Alisson Becker (thigh), Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Thiago Alcantara (muscle), Curtis Jones (shin) and Ryan Gravenberch (ankle) are absent, while young attacker Jayden Danns suffered a concussion last weekend and may not be given the thumbs-up to play either.
Early into the second half of their triumph on Thursday, Klopp was also forced to withdraw Ibrahima Konate due to an issue of unspecified severity, and the Frenchman will be a last-minute decision for Sunday's game.
Man City did not emerge physically unscathed from their clash with Copenhagen either, as Matheus Nunes suffered a sickening dislocated finger - which was quickly popped back into place - but the one-time Liverpool target would have likely dropped down to the bench anyway.
Guardiola also avoided risking Jeremy Doku for the second leg after the Belgian attacker complained of muscular problems, which renders him doubtful for the trip to Anfield, and Jack Grealish (groin) is definitely out for the champions.
Foden, Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Nathan Ake were among the big-hitters to enjoy a complete rest in midweek, and should Doku fail to make the cut this weekend, Julian Alvarez - scorer of his side's second versus Copenhagen - will be on hand to deputise.
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Kelleher; Bradley, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Endo, Mac Allister; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Walker, Dias, Stones, Ake; Silva, Rodri, De Bruyne; Foden, Haaland, Alvarez
We say: Liverpool 1-2 Manchester City
While Liverpool have so far proven infallible at Anfield this season, several factors are working against Klopp's side - including an unenviable injury list and limited recovery time from an away game in Europe - and the hosts conceded numerous gilt-edged chances to Sparta Prague even with a strong XI on the field.
Given the Reds' propensity to ship goals at Anfield, a Man City side boasting fresher legs and a perfect road record in 2024 have our vote to capitalise on their hosts' fatigue, deny Klopp an unbeaten farewell season at home and wrestle back control of the Premier League title race.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
