Paul Merson believes Sunday’s heavyweight Premier League showdown at Anfield could swing heavily in favour of one team, warning that Manchester City may struggle to cope if Liverpool hit top gear.

Liverpool will be eager to set the record straight after suffering a humbling 3-0 defeat at the Etihad earlier in the season. Since then, Arne Slot’s men appear to have found their rhythm again, backing up that response with emphatic victories over Qarabag and Newcastle to build confidence heading into the weekend.

Manchester City, meanwhile, also come into the match off the back of a morale-boosting result, having beaten Newcastle to secure a place in the Carabao Cup final. However, Pep Guardiola’s side could already be facing a significant gap to league leaders Arsenal by the time the teams walk out at Anfield.

Merson backs Liverpool to respond in style

Writing in his latest Premier League predictions for Sportskeeda, Merson made it clear he expects Liverpool to make a statement in front of their home supporters.

According to the former England midfielder, Liverpool’s attacking response since their late setback against Bournemouth has been impressive, pointing to the ten goals scored across their last two outings as evidence that everything is starting to click in the final third.

Merson also highlighted City’s defensive issues, suggesting their recent results flatter them. While the scorelines might imply dominance, he feels Guardiola’s side have been far too open, repeatedly allowing opponents chances that stronger teams would punish.

In contrast, Liverpool have shown ruthlessness in front of goal. With City appearing fragile at the back, Merson believes the visitors could be exposed badly at Anfield.

He was particularly complimentary about Liverpool’s attacking trio, noting how Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, and Mohamed Salah give the Reds multiple match-winners. In his view, while City rely heavily on Rayan Cherki for creativity, Liverpool boast several game-changers operating together.

Scoreline prediction and title race implications

Merson is tipping a 3-1 victory for the hosts, arguing that if the game becomes open and end-to-end, Liverpool’s firepower will simply prove too much.

He also stressed the importance of the result for City, claiming anything less than a win would effectively end their title hopes. Even a draw, he believes, would leave Arsenal with too much breathing room at the top. For that reason, Merson expects Liverpool to come out on top and potentially bring the title race to a decisive moment this weekend.

Expect goals at Anfield

Not everyone shares Merson’s confidence, though. Peter Crouch and Chris Sutton have both gone for a 2-2 draw, underlining just how unpredictable this fixture could be.

Liverpool’s attacking chemistry — particularly between Wirtz and Ekitike — has added a new edge, but recent slip-ups, such as the loss to Bournemouth, show there are still weaknesses City could exploit.

At the same time, Guardiola’s men have looked vulnerable themselves. Blowing a two-goal lead against Tottenham and producing a lacklustre display in the Manchester derby raised fresh questions about their consistency.

With elite attackers on both sides and defensive injury concerns affecting each squad, all signs point towards a goal-filled contest under the Anfield floodlights.

It’s a notoriously difficult fixture to call, but with Liverpool’s attacking options and the electric home atmosphere, the Reds may just have enough to edge a statement win as they push towards securing Champions League football.