LFC Live - Man City and Liverpool become hunters

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Man City and Liverpool become hunters - how key is Etihad meeting?Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot and Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola are trying to chase down Arsenal at the top of the Premier League tableManchester City manager Pep Guardiola described meeting Liverpool in his 1,000th game as a manager as "the destiny of the universe" after their shared domination of English football in recent years.The past eight Premier League titles have gone to the two superpowers, with City claiming the crown six times in that period, including a historic sequence of four in a row.City and Liverpool meet at Etihad Stadium on Sunday (16:30 GMT) with the possibility that their Premier League destiny this season will be heavily shaped by the outcome.To add a twist to the tale, these two long-time Premier League pace-setters now form part of a chasing pack.Arsenal have had their noses pressed against the window in the face of City and Liverpool's superiority in recent years but, for now at least, the Gunners are the hunted rather than the hunters.Mikel Arteta's league leaders could have been nine points clear of Pep Guardiola's side and 10 ahead of Liverpool had they not dropped two late points at Sunderland on Saturday night, Brian Brobbey's stoppage-time equaliser giving the Black Cats a 2-2 draw.Title margins in most recent seasons have been so fine that had Arsenal won, the losing team on Sunday, if there is one, may have been left to reflect that the race was starting to get away from them, even after only 11 games.Now, the door is ajar.Do Man City & Liverpool have fresh hope?Arsenal's advantage was starting to look highly significant until the 94th minute at Sunderland, because anything more than a 10-point lead in the Premier League has only been lost three times.It would have been too early to dismiss teams of the quality of Manchester City and Liverpool, especially as both are showing signs of returning to their formidable best after stumbles earlier this season.Now, if anything, Arsenal's late concession at the Stadium of Light has upped the ante even further before this latest clash between City and Liverpool.In Liverpool, Guardiola has the one opponent he has found it difficult to master - first under Jurgen Klopp and then Arne Slot, whose title winners did the double over him last season.Guardiola has managed City in 18 Premier League games against Liverpool, winning only five, drawing seven and losing six. All we can do is win our games and get closer."Image source, ReutersImage caption, Dominik Szoboszlai has been outstanding as Liverpool's form has picked up with wins against Aston Villa and Real Madrid.Guardiola knew Arsenal were building a team capable of chasing a championship.

I really like his work without the ball, but in these games it was probably even above his own high standards."If Liverpool can win the midfield battle at Etihad Stadium, they will believe they can flourish – but an improving Manchester City will feel equally confident.The stage is set for the latest titanic battle.Can Haaland finally dominate Van Dijk?Erling Haaland scored his 27th goal of the season for club and country in City's 4-1 win against his former club Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday.It has been a remarkable run of form, even by the standards of arguably the most deadly striker in world football.The irresistible force meets the immovable object when Haaland comes up against Virgil van Dijk on Sunday. This is the personal duel that will go a long way to deciding the destiny of the points.Norwegian Haaland will be determined to finally end his uncharacteristically indifferent record against Liverpool's Dutch captain.Since joining City in July 2022, Haaland has started five games against Van Dijk and is still seeking his first win, with three defeats and two draws.

The Norwegian's only victory against Liverpool came in the League Cup fourth round in December 2022, when he scored in a 3-2 triumph, but Van Dijk did not play.Former Liverpool and England defender Stephen Warnock told BBC Sport: "If you look for key areas where the game will be won and lost, from Liverpool's point of view it will be stopping Haaland, but the key to that will all come from the midfield area, and stopping the balls through to him."It will be about whether Liverpool's midfield can press City as hard as they did Aston Villa and Real Madrid."Image source, ReutersImage caption, Manchester City's Erling Haaland has been in unstoppable form this season but has yet to dominate Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.Warnock added: "Much of any battle between Van Dijk and Haaland will depend on the service Haaland gets, and then it will be between Van Dijk and [Ibrahima] Konate to stop him. "Van Dijk will have that kind of pride where he will be determined to get the better of Haaland, because Liverpool's backline has come in for a lot of criticism."Of course, Liverpool are capable of keeping Haaland quiet - they just did the same to a Real Madrid frontline including Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior - but I would take Haaland over any of their attackers at the moment, so this is the ultimate test for Van Dijk."