Liverpool and Man City hit with Premier League blows ahead of Anfield showdown

Saturday's Premier League results have raised the pressure ahead of the meeting at Anfield between Arne Slot and Pep Guardiola's sides. Any dropped will feel calamitous

Saturday's Premier League results did not go in favor of Liverpool and Manchester City

The importance for both Liverpool and Manchester City to take three points at Anfield on Sunday was underlined by Saturday’s Premier League results.

While putting the final touches to their respective tactical plans before the meeting in L4, Arne Slot and Pep Guardiola will have no doubt winced as Saturday’s seven scores rolled in. Few favored the clubs that have shared the last eight league titles.

For Liverpool, the aims are less grand for the remainder of the campaign. It will settle for a Champions League spot, a task that is looking increasingly daunting. The Reds began the weekend in sixth and will remain so before locking horns with City, but Saturday’s results ensured even a win will not see the Reds move back into the top five.

Fourth-place Manchester United’s 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur means it holds a five-point advantage over the champions, while Chelsea’s lead has been extended to four points after it beat Wolverhampton Wanderers.

While recent Liverpool performances should strengthen the belief that it can secure a Champions League spot, there’s no denying that United and Chelsea are benefiting from January’s managerial changes.

Beneath Liverpool, Brentford’s 3-2 win at Newcastle United means the Bees are level on points with the Reds, while local rivals Everton is just two points behind following its comeback victory over Fulham.

Everton earned a 2-1 win at Craven Cottage on Saturday

Should the Reds lose against City, the Toffees could even overtake Liverpool before it travels to Sunderland in midweek.

The only crumb of comfort from a Liverpool perspective on Saturday was Aston Villa dropping further points. That’s just one win in five league outings now for the Villans, following a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth, which saw their gap over the chasing pack shrink.

Liverpool can move within five points of Unai Emery’s side on Sunday, while City will also be buoyed by another Villa slip-up.

It was a frustrating afternoon for Emery on the south coast

It means the Blues will remain second regardless of the score at Anfield, but another three points for Arsenal was certainly a blow.

A routine 3-0 win over Sunderland at the Emirates has moved the Gunners a step closer to ending the North-West hegemony on the title.

Arsenal now has a nine-point gap over City, a tally which is looking increasingly insurmountable.

Whatever happens on Sunday, the results elsewhere in the top flight this weekend have only heightened the stakes ahead of what could be Liverpool’s final opportunity to infuriate Guardiola again at Anfield.