Gary Neville has revealed what the Manchester City players must be thinking ahead of their much-awaited affair against Liverpool at Anfield.
So far, Pep Guardiola has only managed to win once at the Reds’ stadium during his time at the club during the 2020/2021 season, as City demolished Jurgen Klopp’s side 4-1, courtesy of an Ilkay Gundogan brace, a Raheem Sterling strike and a Phil Foden screamer.
However, it was important to note that in that game, there were no fans in the stadium as it occurred during the time of the pandemic, which gave Manchester City an advantage.
Gary Neville shares what the Manchester City players must be thinking ahead of Liverpool showdown at Anfield
However, one expects Anfield to be rocking on Sunday, especially as the contest against the Sky Blues could be one that determines whether Klopp wins his second Premier League title in his final season at the club.
Previously, while there have even been games where City have outperformed the Merseyside-based side at their ground, for one reason or another, they have failed to expect their during their sole win at the stadium under Guardiola.
However, Gary Neville thinks the Manchester City players will be backing themselves to get over the line against Liverpool at Anfield.
“There comes a point where this team is that good that where they eventually go to a point where they say, ‘Hang on a minute. We’re not going to come here again and basically freeze, are we and not turn up?’ So, I just think the way in which they played last week, the point in the season, it feels to me like a point where City might just turn up today”, he said on Sky Sports ahead of the encounter.
Every Manchester City player will have to emerge as a leader
Considering how excellent Liverpool have been this season, only if the Manchester City players showcase they have the mentality to beat them at their ground as Gary Neville claimed will they get the three points.
Aside from the tactical elements and the quality of both sides, what is most important is for every City player to step up and be a leader on a potentially title-defining day for them.
Unless the Sky Blues collective all take accountability and dig deep to get over the line, they could struggle to beat a Liverpool side that is firing on all cylinders and tends to do the business at Anfield.
Thankfully for City, they have an abundance of big characters like Rodri, Ruben Dias, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland, who will be fired up ahead of the fixture and will be determined to make a statement against the Reds.
