EPL: MNC vs LIV - Guardiola welcome Klopp as Reds prepare for Guard of Honour
 |
| Manchester City vs Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium. Photo of Man City: Matt McNulty - Manchester City/Manchester City FC via Getty Images. Photo of Liverpool: Phil Noble/Pool via Getty Images |
Newly-crowned English Premier League Champions Liverpool will be given a hugely symbolic guard of honour by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday night.
Pep Guardiola's side had been champions for the past two years - and won every domestic trophy last term - but have been swept aside this season by Liverpool's title charge.
So the guard of honour will reflect a Premier League power shift - although it will also provide no shortage of motivation for City's players as they look ahead to upsetting the Reds' title defence next term.
May 6, 1991 - that was the last time Liverpool took to the field as the reigning champions of England.
It has been a long and arduous journey at times since then - a statement that could apply for the 30 intervening years as a whole or just the three-month coronavirus stoppage which at one stage threatened to rob them of an overdue return to their perch.
Manchester City ready to slug it out with Champions Liverpool - "LET'S GO" ⬇
ＬＥＴ＇Ｓ ＧＯ— Manchester City (@ManCity) July 2, 2020
🆚 Liverpool (H)
🏆 @premierleague
🏟 Etihad Stadium
⏰ 20:15 BST
🔵 #ManCity pic.twitter.com/ZezKwgDXHW
Last Thursday, it was Man City's 2-1 defeat at Chelsea that officially secured the title for Liverpool with seven games of the season remaining as the previous champions stayed 23 points adrift with only 21 points now left to play for.
Ederson, Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden are among the players who will be hoping for a recall to the starting lineup, but City are still missing the suspended Fernandinho and the injured Sergio Aguero.
Manchester City Spanish pro Manager Pep Guardiola - "I am focused only on this" ⬇
PEP 💬 Every game we play between then and now is a chance for us to arrive in the best possible condition, so every game is so important.— Manchester City (@ManCity) July 2, 2020
We have incredible things ahead. I am focused only on this.
Liverpool, meanwhile, will be without Joel Matip for the remainder of the campaign due to a foot injury he sustained in the Merseyside derby.
James Milner also picked up a hamstring problem in that match and remains a major doubt for this game, but Xherdan Shaqiri has now returned to training.
No comments: