1. First meeting
The first meeting between the two sides was back in September 1893 at City’s first permanent home, Hyde Road.
Liverpool took home the points with a 1-0 win, and then went on to be undefeated as they won the Second Division and were promoted to the top flight.
2. Premier League
City and Liverpool both competed in the opening season of the newly-named Premier League, with both games ending 1-1.
Anfield hosted the first tie between the two in December 1992. Niall Quinn opened the scoring in the 39th minute before Ian Rush levelled shortly after half time.
3. The Studge
Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge started his professional career with City in 2007, making his debut in the 2-0 defeat at home to Reading.
The 26-year old was on the losing side in the 2006 FA Youth Cup final against his current employers. City won the second leg 2-0 with Sturridge scoring an impressive goal from range, but Liverpool claimed the trophy with a 3-2 win on aggregate.
4. Purple patch
City have scored in the last eight Premier League meetings against Liverpool, a run which stretches back to the 1-1 draw at Anfield in November 2011.
5. Friendly foes
Numerous players have played for both sides over the years, with City currently having one connection (Raheem Sterling) and Liverpool having four (Kolo Toure, James Milner, Sturridge and Mario Balotelli [on loan at AC Milan]).
Other famous names to pull on the shirts of City and Liverpool include Steve McManaman, Nicolas Anelka, Dietmar Hamann, Robbie Fowler, David James and Craig Bellamy.
6. Stat attack
Fernandinho has played the most minutes for City in the Premier League so far this season – a total of 1,058. He’s closely followed by Bacary Sagna and Joe Hart (both 990).
The Brazilian midfielder has only missed 22 minutes of Premier League action after being substituted in the second half at White Hart Lane against Spurs in September. Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and defenders Nathaniel Clyne and Martin Skrtel have played all 1,080 minutes of Liverpool’s Premier League campaign so far.
7. Previous encounters
City and Liverpool have squared off a total of 79 times in the league at City’s home stadium since their first meeting in 1893. 230 goals have been shared during those meetings – Liverpool just edge City with a total of 116 goals compared to City’s 114. Will that change this weekend?
8. On this day
The game on Saturday will be exactly six years to the day since the 2-2 draw at Anfield which saw City remain in sixth place in the Premier League, 12 points off first place Chelsea with a game in hand.
The Reds took the lead early in the second half through Martin Skrtel before two quick fire goals from Emmanuel Adebayor and Stephen Ireland put City in front. The lead was short lived though as Yossi Benayoun equalised just a minute after Ireland’s goal to share the points.
9. Goals change games
That’s how the old cliche goes, and that’s certainly the case between City and Liverpool. 33 goals have flown in during the past 10 meetings between the two.
Four goals flew in in August 2014 at the Etihad with Stevan Jovetic grabbing two and Sergio Aguero getting the other in a 3-1 win. The last goalless draw between the two sides was back in 2010.
10. At the Hart
Joe Hart has been involved in the last 12 games between City and Liverpool. The run started back in August 2010 when City picked up the three points at the Etihad in a 3-0 win.
The last meeting between the two sides when the England number one wasn’t involved was in February 2010. Shay Given played that day with Hart out on loan at Birmingham City.
