Liverpool vs. Manchester City: Where the Game Will Be Won at Anfield

Liverpool host Manchester City on Sunday at Anfield in the team's second game of the new season. What can we expect from this clash, how will the teams line up and where will the game be won?

Possible lineups

*David Silva and Samir Nasri are 50/50, Jose Enrique should be fit.

Contrasting styles

 According to Danny Morehead, a contributor to City's official site, Roberto Mancini will likely look to utilise his shiny new 3-5-2 in the perceived "harder" fixtures. Any game at Anfield falls into this category, and the Italian may look to the counterattack to win this game.

With Brendan Rodgers employing his trademark possession-based football regardless of opposition, this is one game where City probably won't dominate the ball.

The 4-3-3 doesn't often meet the 3-5-2, but when it does, it mostly results in cagey affairs. If your looking for comparative battles, think Spain vs. Italy in Euro 2012 (the group match, not the final).

Individual battles

Fabio Borini and Stewart Downing will take wide forward roles and flank a tricky No. 9 in Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan will likely drop in and out of the front line, but the three-on-three matchup here could cause a stalemate.

City's left and right wing-backs will work hard and track back, meaning Downing and Borini will be double-marked at times.

This won't be the case going the other way. A quick release to James Milner or Gael Clichy could see them one-on-one with Jose Enrique or Glen Johnson, meaning Lucas Leiva has a tough game sweeping behind the midfield line in order to provide cover.

Liverpool's midfield three will look to control and overwhelm City's, but either Vincent Kompany can step forward (into an old-fashioned centre-half role or to follow Suarez), or Nasri can drop in to make up the numbers.

Key factor

City look very strong in a 3-5-2 and are built perfectly to counter a 4-3-3. Liverpool will find it hard to swamp any midfield that includes Yaya Toure, and they'll be vulnerable to quick breaks in the wide areas.

In the current footballing philosophy that Rodgers employs, Steven Gerrard is a casualty. His strength is surging forward and carrying the ball—as shown for Liverpool over the last 10 years and most recently for England in Euro 2012—so to stick him in a tiki-taka template hurts his game.

If Liverpool can release Gerrard, City face problems running backward. Some players' inexperience in the new formation will surely surface.

@stighefootball