THE meanest, most magnificent machine in world football is broken, malfunctioning to such an extent that it’s surreal to see it all play out before our eyes.

A mere six weeks ago teams would routinely form a carapace around their own box, petrified of allowing Pep Guardiola’s creation even a scintilla of space. They would break in twos only, tremulous, as if scrumping in a garden patrolled by a nasty dog.

Now? Now they’re taking the game to City, relishing the prospect of becoming the latest club to down a wounded, fatigued giant, moreover a giant suffering an identity crisis.

First Spurs took full advantage, then Bournemouth in the league. A hum of speculation began to circulate around pubs and offices that all was not right.

Confirming and confounding this, Sporting then indulged in a four-goal Champions League spree, reveling in a poorly policed area ahead of City’s back-line that used to be bossed by a Ballon d’Or winner.

Following this capitulation came defeats at Brighton and a comprehensive loss at home to Tottenham, the latter a death knell to any realistic chance of City claiming a fifth straight title.

On Tuesday evening, catastrophe merged with calamity when a three-goal lead over Feyenoord was relinquished with just 17 minutes to play. A trio of individual gaffes and the fear on the player’s faces as a morale-boosting victory slipped from their grasp brought to mind a much earlier incarnation of this club that only appears to reside in extremes.

This was Typical City, the punchline to a million jokes made in the Nineties.

The Centurions; the Fourmidables; the most dominant, scary side in our lifetime are now reduced to wearing a paper crown as the King of the Cock-ups.

City tend to start brightly but implode after the break, with 11 of their last 15 goals conceded in that period. Back Liverpool to win the second half on Sunday and over 1.5 second half goals at 5/2

Player errors have definitely played a part in this sudden and shocking downfall as too has the absence of Rodri, the fulcrum to all the fantasy football. Up front, writer’s block has taken hold, a dearth of creativity that has rendered the likes of Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden predictable.

Then there’s the defence that can no longer defend. That’s hardly a minor detail.

The last time Manchester City conceded two-plus goals in six consecutive matches was way back in 1963 while their propensity to concede in quick succession – the Blues have been breached again within minutes of conceding on five occasions this past month – highlights the lack of leadership. Where once there was a furious double-take that an inferior team had dared score against them, now there is only anxiety.

In such a sorry state the very last team this crisis-ridden club would choose to face right now is Liverpool and the very last venue, Anfield.

Even at their absolute pomp, firing four, fives, and sixes past United, Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea on a regular basis, Anfield was the place that knew City’s dark secrets and flaws.

“You feel small and the rival players seem to be all over,” was how Guardiola put it five years ago. He has also likened the experience to encountering a tsunami.

Indeed, so heightened was their complex, after being made mortal several times over on Merseyside, it led to a 0-0 draw being openly celebrated by the visitors in 2018.

So the big question ahead of Sunday’s much-anticipated clash is this –

If Liverpool, in front of a ferocious crowd, was City’s Kryptonite at their very zenith, what on earth have they got in store for them now, brittle and broken?

Back over 2.5 goals for Liverpool this Sunday. Combine with over 0.5 SOT for Diaz for a tempting 19/5

Certainly a tonking cannot be ruled out, at the very least a couple of goals converted by the table-toppers who can go 11 points clear if they win.

Going into tonight’s European tie with Real Madrid, Arne Slot’s men have scored 2+ goals in 15 of their 18 outings this term, across all comps.

As for the likeliest source of the visitor’s pain we need look no further than Mo Salah, an obvious shout granted, but a forward who has previously contributed 17 goal involvements from 20 starts in this fixture.

Full time Liverpool and Salah to score offers up 5/2 as a popular bet builder

Elsewhere, Luis Diaz is always good for an attempt on goal, averaging 1.8 per 90 this term, while Domink Szoboszlai was superb at Southampton last weekend and should feature again here in his favoured number 10 role.

The Hungarian has taken on 17 shots and created 17 chances in 2024/25, a model of consistency.

Staying with attempts on goal, though both teams top the table for shots on target this season we can anticipate a conservative number at the weekend. It may seem counter-intuitive to back a high number of goals but a low shot count but the evidence is there from recent meetings in L4 that this is the case.

The last five meetings on Merseyside have produced a healthy three goals per game, but combined the SOT tally averages 8.6 per 90, a respectable but hardly notable figure.

So often, goals and attempts on goal do not go hand in hand and let’s not forget that Liverpool have faced the lowest number of SOT in the top-flight.

Go for under 9.5 shots on target total at 6/5

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