City vs Liverpool: Sharqi Starts as Klopp’s Reds Face a Derby Fight at the Etihad
9 November 2025
Lineups for City vs Liverpool
Pep Guardiola and Slot have announced the starting elevens for Manchester City and Liverpool as they meet on Sunday at the Etihad in the 11th round of the Premier League.
City’s XI includes Donnarumma, Nunez, Ruben Dias, Jvardiol, Orili, Sharqi, Nico Gonzalez, Foden, Bernardo Silva, Haaland and Doku.
Liverpool line-up: Mamardashvili, Bradley, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Salah, Ekitike and Ferz (Fertz).
City enters the match with 19 points, sitting third, seven behind Arsenal, while Liverpool have 18 points and occupy seventh place.
With Arsenal leading the table, both City and Liverpool are eager to stay in the title race. City have suffered three league losses this season, but a big win over Bournemouth and Haaland’s form have kept them in contention.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have just ended a four-game home losing streak in the league to Aston Villa and beat Real Madrid 1-0 in the Champions League, a run of form that lifts the mood ahead of the clash with City.
Injury updates
For City, goalkeeper Alisson Becker is not available today, while he is expected to be back for Liverpool after the international break on November 22. For Liverpool, Jeremy Frimbong is out with a knee issue that could keep him sidelined until December. Sweden’s Alexander Isak has missed the last four matches with a thigh problem but is due back to training soon; his return remains a day-to-day question.
Meanwhile, Guardiola does not anticipate any of his injured players returning in time for this week, notably Rodrigo who is listed as a doubt.
Before the match, Guardiola reflected on a milestone: “Liverpool is the biggest rival in England for me since I arrived in 2016.” He added that Manchester City and Liverpool have pushed each other to higher levels, a dynamic he says has benefited both teams.
Slot, for his part, emphasized focus on the players who score: “Our primary focus is on the players who find the back of the net, and Salah’s goals are crucial for us. Defensively, the team has improved in recent fixtures.”
The Dutch coach also acknowledged Liverpool’s recent upturn, saying the team is regaining balance after a tough spell, with emphasis on consistency and readiness to improve further.
Head-to-head context
Last season City lost two league meetings to Liverpool by 2-0 on both occasions. Guardiola’s side have not faced a team that failed to score against them three times in a row since Manchester United in 2020. Liverpool could secure a second consecutive away win at City for the first time since the late 1980s if they pull it off, though City have won 10 of their last 12 home meetings with reigning champions (one draw, one loss) with a notable 4-1 win at Anfield in 2021.
As things stand, both teams will look to assert their style: City with a possession-heavy build-up and dynamic forward lines, Liverpool pressing high and exploiting space on the counter. The match has the feel of a title-defining moment, even though only a handful of games into the season.
Punchline time: If the match were a weather forecast, you’d need a front-row seat to dodge the heat—and a spare jersey for the inevitable shirt-pulling in the box. Second punchline: The only thing guaranteed here is drama, and maybe a new meme declaring the Etihad a fortress that still loves a good surprise attack.
