Liverpool vs Manchester City betting tips plus this weekend’s Premier League odds

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Is there a good time to face Manchester City? Liverpool have got to believe that this is it if they’re to take anything from the Premier League game of the weekend on Sunday.

The chat on Merseyside has been about starting life without Philippe Coutinho but Liverpool coped fine in their last two games without him, beating Everton in the FA Cup and Burnley in the league before that, stretching a winning run in all competitions to four games and an unbeaten sequence to 17.

They’ve also had more than a week since the derby win, a few days away in the sun to get star man Mohamed Salah fit after a brief lay-off and Virgil van Dijk (9/1 to score at any time) has hit the ground running.

Liverpool, with £75m man Virgil van Dijk settling in, welcome Manchester City to Anfield

Meanwhile, City had the first leg of a tricky League Cup semi-final against Bristol City to negotiate. But, negotiate it they did to lead 2-1 and they remain in the hunt for four trophies, favourites for every one and 16/1 to sweep the lot.

They’re also 9/2 to remain unbeaten in the Premier League this season with 22 games played and 16 to go.

Liverpool at Anfield will be one of the toughest tests of the 16 remaining and there is a case to be made for backing the Reds.

They’re unbeaten in 14 home league games against City going back to 2003, they’ve conceded just four goals in their last 13 matches on their own patch and no manager has beaten Pep Guardiola more than Jurgen Klopp – he’s level with Jose Mourinho on four.

Klopp also has an impressive record against the top six as his team have won more points (39) from games between the big guns than any of their rivals, boast more wins (9), fewer defeats (3) and more goals (40).

But most of this was also true when the teams squared up at the Etihad earlier in the season and Liverpool were thumped 5-0. That was the start of a mini run when City were running up cricket scores for fun and it knocked Liverpool off their stride - they failed to win any of their next three.

Sergio Aguero scored Man City's winner against Bristol City in midweek

They are 9/2 to go the season unbeaten and 16/1 to win four trophies

Fast forward to now and a goalless draw with Crystal Palace and that narrow win over Bristol City - they've had convincing wins over Watford and Burnley in between - is about as close to a wobble as you’re going to get from City.

It’s not much for Reds fans to cling to but they are on a decent run and with their team a shade better than 2/1 with most bookies, backing against City might not be the worst bet in the world. And there won’t be many weeks we get to write that. If you fancy the draw it’s 29/10 while City are 13/10. Liverpool are 19/5 to win with both teams scoring.

With Manchester United not in action until Monday night – they’re 1/4 to beat Stoke and evens to win without conceding – Chelsea could leapfrog them into second.

Antonio Conte has taken time out of his squabble/spat/war of words/handbags - call it what you want – with Jose Mourinho to oversee two goalless draws – against Norwich and Arsenal. But he made nine changes for the FA Cup tie with the Canaries and the Gunners on Wednesday was a dull derby in the League Cup last four.

There’s no way the Blues will draw a blank against a Leicester side who last won at Stamford Bridge when Muzzy Izzet and Stan Collymore scored, have taken just three points from the last 36 available in away games against top-six teams and who have lost 12 of their last 14 in all competitions against Chelsea. A home win is 3/10, or 5/6 minus one goal on the handicap. Conte’s side are 9/5 to win both halves.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has had plenty to say over the past few weeks

Everton are another team with a stinker of a record away at the big six and one win in 43 (27 losses and 15 draws) won’t have punters flocking to back them at Tottenham.

Spurs are 3/10 and have Harry Kane and Son Heung-min chasing landmark goals – England’s top striker needs one to match Teddy Sheringham as their highest Premier League scorer on 97 while Son is looking to score in his fifth straight home game – a feat only Jermain Defoe has managed. Both players to score is 5/2 while Kane is 10/3 to score two or more and overtake Sheringham.

At the other end, Swansea are stuck to the bottom on goal difference and are likely to still be there after their trip to Newcastle. It’s 19/20 for a home win while Ayoze Perez, with three goals in his last two outings, is 7/1 for the opener, 5/2 at any time and 5/1 in the score-win double.

Like Liverpool, manchester United had a few days in Dubai after playing in the FA Cup

Harry Kane (centre) needs two goals to become Spurs' highest Premier League scorer

West Brom are on the same number of points as Swansea having gone 20 games without winning. They could buck that terrible trend this weekend as Brighton, the league’s shot-shy travellers (just five away goals scored and none in their last five trips) are the visitors. A Baggies win is 23/20 and it’s 19/4 they win 1-0.

Burnley continue to ride high but they’ve drawn three on the spin in the league away from home and a fourth, at Crystal Palace, looks the best bet in their game while Huddersfield against West Ham also has the look of a stalemate.

Watford can be backed to edge Southampton (only West Brom are on a longer winless run than the men from the south coast) and Bournemouth against Arsenal looks good for both teams to score. Over 3.5 total goals in that one is 11/8 and over 4.5 is 3/1.

Prices from oddschecker, correct at time of publication, subject to change