Preview: City v Liverpool

Rafa Benitez' Liverpool visit the home of football tomorrow afternoon, with the game perhaps our most important of the season so far. A win would make us big favourites to gazump the Merseyside club for fourth place, but the Scousers have to some extent recovered from their mid-season wobble, and both Maine Road and Eastlands have proven happy hunting grounds for them in previous seasons.

Carlos Tevez remains in his homeland as his second child was born prematurely. Craig Bellamy, rumoured to have had a disagreement with the manager over his injury rehab this week, is expected to at best make the bench. Pat Vieira is suspended for his stupid lunge at former Blue Glen Whelan during the draw at Stoke midweek, and Vince Kompany and Martin Petrov are rated as doubtful with groin and knee ligament injuries, respectively.

Full-back Glen Johnson is Liverpool's only certain absentee, still out with a knee injury. Yossi Benayoun is unlikely to start after a rib problem, and Fernando Torres still isn't fully fit. Sotiros Kyrgiakos serves out a two-match ban for a challenge in the Merseyside derby which in truth could have resulted in both him and Marouane Fellaini seeing red.

With Carlos and Craig unavailable, and given Roque Santa Cruz is still looking some way off full fitness, we're pretty certain to go with Adebayor up front alone, something that's not really paid off in recent weeks. I can't see anything other than Stevie Ireland replacing the suspended Vieira and a central midfield three. Providing the knock which saw him replaced at Stoke isn't a problem, Micah ought to continue on the right, with Wayne Bridge returning on the opposite flank.

Most of Liverpool's side is easy enough to predict, with the back five of Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Agger & Insua appearing fairly settled. Lucas and Mascherano should shield the defence, with Gerrard off a lone striker. I wouldn't rule out Rafa bringing back Fernando Torres, though statements earlier in the week say otherwise. Otherwise, Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez may start wide, with David N'gog leading the line, though Fabio Aurelio, Albert Riera & Ryan Babel are all pushing for starting places.

It's an especially tough game to call, but we certainly need to take all three points if we're to make ourselves favourites for that final Champions League spot. Liverpool's run-in is by far the easiest of the four sides in with a shout, and of late they've been getting back in the habit of winning without playing particularly well, a worrying sign. We're imperious at home, yet have an awful record against the Anfield side.

Dirk Kuyt has been the man making the difference over recent weeks, and wherever he starts, up front or to the right he'll drift and cause trouble. Keeping tabs on him will prove key, but responsibly marking Steven Gerrard is a must. He'll drop deep and ping crosses over the defence, trouble us from corners, and look to win free-kicks in dangerous areas around the penalty area. It might take a hatchet job by Nige and Gaz Baz, but deal with those two players, assuming Torres doesn't start, and we've a good chance.

I disagree with the 'neither side can defend so it could be a classic' stuff, and also the high-scoring draw predictions of pundits this week. Both sides are negative, missing key players, and struggling to find their feet for different reasons, and i can't see anything other than an awful game. If we can start brightly, hopefully get the first goal, then we should see them off, but fail to do so and the moans and groans that have met performances over recent weeks will build on the terraces once more.

Possible teams:
City: Given, Richards, Bridge, Toure, Lescott, de Jong, Wright-Phillips, Barry, Ireland, Adebayor, A.Johnson

Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Insua, Agger, Skrtel, Mascherano, Kuyt, Lucas, Gerrard, N'gog, Rodriguez

Prediction: City 1 Liverpool 1