Man City V Liverpool - Who Are The Potential Matchwinners Today?

 While it's been well documented that Liverpool haven't beaten any of the top sides (yet) this season it's also worth noting that we've only lost to one of those sides (home v Arsenal) by more than one goal. In short they've all been tight matches and we've been in with a shout of getting something right up to the end. With that in mind I'd expect today's game to be another close affair so I thought I'd take a look at who could win it for us and who we'll have to watch out for.

 Man City are without their main man in midfield Yaya Toure who is away at the African Cup Of Nations so the middle of the park is a battleground crying out for a general to take charge - step forward Steven Gerrard. Our captain remains our best player at taking a game by the scruff of the neck and dragging it to where we want it to be and if his desire today can match his ability he can win the game for us.

 City are also missing their captain and key defensive organiser Vincent Kompany and there is nobody better in the Premier League at moving defenders out of place than the tricky and hard working Luis Suarez. If anybody is capable of taking advantage of a weakened defence it's our Uruguayan hitman. He'll probably start slightly wide today but that won't stop him coming inside and making life difficult for the home side's centre backs.

 In terms of players against us today the main dangerman for me isn't one who obviously stands out, but after watching us struggle against Oldham's 6 foot 7 striker and then seeing Olivier Giroud score one and make another against us on Wednesday I think Edin Dzeko is somebody we'll have to be very wary of this afternoon. He's a good target man and that's what we seem to have struggled against this season. I don't know if he'll start or not but he'll figure at some point and I'm sure combating his threat will have figured in Brendan Rodgers' pre match tactical thinking.

 Both sides have potential matchwinners all over the field but I think these three in particular could have a big say in the outcome of today's encounter.