The last time Manchester City and Liverpool played in an English Premier League game against each other, the latter picked up a dramatic victory, which looked like being decisive in the title race, before it all went awry again.
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The Monday night game is set for an 8 pm BST (12.30 am IST, 3 pm ET) start with live coverage on TV on Star Sports 1 and Star Sports HD1 in India. The match can also be watched via live streaming online in India HERE. TV coverage in the UK will be on Sky Sports 1, with the option to live stream HERE or HERE. Viewers in the UK can also listen to the match via radio on BBC Radio 5 Live HERE. Catch the action on TV in the US on NBC Sports, while the game can also be live streamed online HERE. Viewers in the Middle East and North Africa can watch the match via live streaming HERE, while South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa viewers can do the same HERE. Australia viewers can live stream the action HERE, while viewers in Canada can watch the game HERE.
This time when the two title contenders meet, there won't be as much at stake, but with Manuel Pellegrini calling the Premier League match at the Etihad a six-pointer, both teams will be keen to make an early statement.
"Every year the competition grows and gets stronger," Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo. "But we will become stronger as well. We just got pipped by Manchester City over 38 games last season.
"But it's a new season with a new team here which is evolving. We've done some great business this summer and I'm delighted with the squad I've got.
"We played very well in the two games against City last season so we'll go there with great belief. We're going into it after a winning start to the season and confidence is high.
"City are the champions and I think you have to regard them as favourites for the title. They'll probably look at themselves and think with the squad they've got and the additions they've made they'll expect to be up there.
"Chelsea will be strong and Arsenal have strengthened so it's looking like being a really competitive league this season."
Manchester City, of course, finished as champions last season, with that epic loss to Chelsea eventually costing Liverpool the momentum and a proper run at the title.
There will also be different personnel on show at the Etihad on Monday night – not so much from the home side, but certainly from the Reds, who have gone on a spending spree, with their latest recruit set to be Mario Balotelli, the former Man City man.
"I always say to the players these games are games of six points, especially when you play at home against one of the most important squads in the Premier League in Liverpool," said Pellegrini. "I cannot know whether Liverpool will be affected by last season or not.
"My way of thinking is that last season is finished and we are not thinking about it anymore. These are different games and different moments but it is important for our team to start winning points at home."
Liverpool did really well to scrape out a win against Southampton on the opening weekend, with Daniel Sturridge scoring a late winner, while Manchester City were also made to battle hard before seeing off Newcastle. Come Monday night, that level of play can definitely be expected to be cranked up a few notches higher.
Team news: Manchester City: Striker Alvaro Negredo remains sidelined, but with the likes of Pablo Zabaleta and summer signing Bacary Sagna getting another week of training under their belt, Pellegrini will feature one of them at right-back after Gael Clichy was forced to play there in both the Community Shield and the opening Premier League game of the season.
Sergio Aguero, who scored the second goal in the 2-0 win at Newcastle, will expect to be picked from the start, most probably, in the place of Stevan Jovetic, who had a ripper of a preseason, but new signing Eliaquim Mangala is still not deemed to be fit enough to feature for the full 90 minutes.
Liverpool: The Balotelli deal has not been completed and, therefore, the Italian will not be available to feature against his former side. Rodgers will have to do without the services of Adam Lallana, Jon Flanagan, Daniel Agger and Fabio Borini.
Expected lineups: Manchester City: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Toure, Fernando; Nasri, Aguero, Silva; Dzeko.
Liverpool: Mignolet; Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno; Henderson, Gerrard, Allen; Sterling, Sturridge, Coutinho.
Prediction: 2-1 to Manchester City
