Overview
- Liverpool arrive on the back of two straight wins, beating Aston Villa 2-0 and Real Madrid 1-0, with kickoff at the Etihad on November 9 at 4.30pm GMT.
- Arne Slot challenged Hugo Ekitike to be stronger in aerial duels, with FotMob data showing a 37.9% success rate in the Premier League despite his 6ft 3in frame.
- Ekitike is Liverpool’s leading scorer with six goals since a reported £79m summer move, underlining his importance even as the manager targets specific improvements.
- Alexander Isak rejoined full training after three weeks out with a groin issue and is expected to be named on the bench, with Alisson set to be available after the international break.
- Ibrahima Konaté’s contract expires next summer and, according to Bild, his agent has spoken with Bayern, PSG and Real Madrid, while Bayern’s Christoph Freund said their priority is extending Dayot Upamecano’s deal.