Mark Lawrenson explains why Liverpool may have an advantage over Manchester City heading into Sunday’s huge top of the table clash

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Mark Lawrenson has suggested that Liverpool may have a slight advantage over Manchester City in this weekend’s huge top of the table clash due to the fact Pep Guardiola’s side had a ‘much tougher’ midweek game in the Champions League.

The Sky Blues welcomed Atletico Madrid to the Etihad on Tuesday night and earned a 1-0 victory whilst Jurgen Klopp’s side defeated Benfica 3-1 in Lisbon the same evening.

The 64-year-old has predicted that there will be a ‘few goals’ in the game and couldn’t choose a winner claiming the spoils may be shared in a 2-2 draw.

“This is the big one,” he said in his prediction for the BBC (via Rousing The Kop). “Both teams got good results in the Champions League in midweek, but it was much tougher for City against Atletico Madrid than it was for Liverpool versus Benfica.

“I am expecting a good game because you don’t get anything else with two teams as talented as these, and with the way they both play.

“At different times, one team or the other will be on top – it will just come down to who can take their chances when they come. It will be close, and there will be a few goals.

“I don’t see it as a title decider because there are still seven games to go after this. Whoever wins, the pressure is still on, but I am going for a draw anyway.”

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A draw wouldn’t do much for either side but, if anything, it would benefit City.

It would ensure that they have their fate in their own hands and would see them remain as clear favourites for the title.

With us still having to face Manchester United, Everton and Spurs in the coming weeks too, you’d have every right to suggest that our run-in is a lot trickier on paper than City’s.

We need to prove in the coming weeks that we have what it takes to once again be crowned Premier League champions – the Etihad on Sunday wouldn’t be a bad place to start, would it?

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