Man City 2-1 Liverpool: Leroy Sane’s late winner cuts the gap at the top

Good afternoon and welcome to The Independent's live coverage of Manchester City vs Liverpool from the Etihad Stadium.

What a night it promises to be as the Premier League sees the biggest game of the season to date and one that could go a long way to deciding the title.

A win for the champions would close the gap at the top of the table to just four points, helping put pressure on the leaders and bringing the title race back to life. If Liverpool can pick up the three points, however, the gap widens to 10 and Pep Guardiola's men may well think it's all over.

It looks all set to be a dramatic night of action and we'll have all of it for you right here so don't for a second think to touch that dial. We'll have all the build-up for you throughout the afternoon all the way up to kick-off.

Without further ado, off we go.

Liverpool’s consistency has seen them rise to the top of the league table, with no side able to beat them so far this season. As for Pep Guardiola’s City, they had a Christmas to forget after suffering two defeats in a row before beating Southampton last weekend.

Stay with us as we reveal five things to look out for in tonight’s huge Premier League clash…

1. Fernandinho crucial for City...

Fernandinho made his return on Sunday and helped his side to an important 3-1 win over Southampton, setting City up nicely for this evening’s game. The Brazilian’s last appearance came in their 3-1 win over Everton but since his injury the side have drastically lacked creativity and control in midfield, which can only be a result of his unavailability. You could sense how comfortable the attackers felt last weekend knowing the Brazilian was behind them and he was able to distribute the ball forward from deep positions quickly.

In Sunday’s game alone, Fernandinho had a 75% pass success rate, won three aerial duals and completed two dribbles.

He’s a very consistent player who likes to turn up in the big games and it’s vital that he shows up tonight. City have looked defensively fragile in recent performances but they cannot afford to do that against Liverpool because they will be punished. Fernandinho provides defensive stability as well as creativity going forward so City fans will be delighted he’s available tonight.

2. History on Liverpool's side...

By no means is anything decided at this stage in the competition with plenty of games remaining but there are some statistics that Liverpool fans might like to hear. The Reds currently sit on 54 points after 20 games which on its own is very rare. Only three Premier League teams have hit the 50-point mark at this stage. Chelsea in 2005-06, Manchester United in 2006-07 and Manchester City in 2017/18 all managed this feat and what stands out is… they all went on to be crowned champions.

This promising statistic however doesn’t hide the fact that if City can win tonight, they find themselves just four points off the leaders.

History has also gone against Liverpool plenty of times too. They famously threw away a league title nearly 30 years ago to Arsenal in the final moments of the final game. Read our Independent Sport story below looking into what Guardiola makes of Liverpool's illustrious history...

3. City's defence MUST be better...

Despite winning on Sunday, City’s defensive frailties showed up once again. That was their 10th game in a row where they have been unable to keep a clean sheet and the fourth game in a row where they’ve taken the lead and then been pegged back by inferior sides.

Injuries have also had a part to play with powerful left-back Benjamin Mendy and replacement Fabian Delph both out. Oleksandr Zinchenko has found himself starting but has struggled at points, with his error eventually leading to Southampton’s goal.

This seems to be the difference between City and Liverpool at the moment. When a key Liverpool player is missing, a replacement is bought in and fills the gap with ease. This hasn’t always been the case for City, illustrated by the problems that have appeared since Fernandinho’s injury.

If their defence is to improve, this is the game for it. They face one of the most dangerous attacking line-ups in the world and will need to step up if they want to win this vital game.

4. What are Liverpool playing for?

It’s hard to tell how Klopp’s side will shape up for this evenings game. Will they play it safe and grind out a draw or will they go for it? For Man City, anything less than a win is a disappointing result and sees the Reds either maintain their seven point lead or pull away and widen the gap to 10 points.

Klopp will privately know that a draw is a good result for his side, especially away from home. The question is, should Liverpool risk straying away from their usual relentless attacking style?

If the leaders can avoid defeat against City for a second time, that means they’ve survived arguably the two toughest games in the division. How long will it take before people really start to believe they can have an invincible season?

5. Aguero loves playing against the Reds...

City striker Sergio Aguero will be aiming to make it seven in a row against Liverpool at the Etihad this evening in order to help his side close the gap on the leaders.

The Argentinian striker has never found the back of the net at Anfield but has scored in all six of his Premier League home games against Liverpool. City fans will most likely enjoy reading this statistic and if it continues this evening, could Aguero’s side be the first team this season to defeat Jurgen Klopp’s men?

Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany believes that even if his side lose tonight, the race remains far from over. Kompany has won three Premier League titles, one FA Cup and three League Cups during his time at City, with his side hoping to close the gap on Liverpool and add to the Premier League title tally.

Read our full story below:

Despite Tottenham's title credentials taking a heavy hit after their 3-1 defeat to Wolves, they'll still consider themselves title chasers and Spurs star Harry Kane has revealed who he'll be supporting tonight...

Pundit Paul Merson's early prediction...

"This might sound silly, but I'd be shocked if Manchester City won this game. I'd be shocked. I just can't see how they can stop Liverpool from scoring goals. As the game goes on, I just don't see how Liverpool don't go on to win it.

My only question of Liverpool would be how they play it. Do they go out and think that if they draw they've probably taken Manchester City out of the equation? Or do they go for the jugular and win the Premier League on Thursday night?"