"This is a cup final for Manchester City," Paul Merson on City-Liverpool clash

Manchester City are placed second in the Premier League table, eight points behind Arsenal with a game in hand. Their next opponents in the Premier League are Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool. The Reds make a visit to Manchester for an early kickoff on Saturday afternoon.

Paul Merson believes that this match will be like a cup final for Manchester City. The reigning champions cannot afford to drop points in this fixture, and nothing but a win will do. We are in the final stretch of the season, where slip-ups will prove to be costly. Paul Merson also believes that playing Liverpool directly after the International break must be really difficult for Manchester City.

"This is a cup final for Manchester City. They have to win this game. It's a nightmare game for both Man City and Liverpool to have so soon after the international break. But the pressure is on Man City. They cannot afford to lose. They cannot even afford to draw," said Merson.

The last time the two sides faced off in the Premier League, Liverpool came out on top at Anfield. Liverpool won the fixture by a scoreline of 1-0, claiming their third consecutive victory over Manchester City in all competitions.