A look ahead at Monday night's game at The Etihad Stadium
Manchester City vs Liverpool
Date: 8pm, Monday 25th August 2014
Venue: The Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Referee: Michael Oliver Assistants: S Burt, D England Fourth Official: C Pawson
Odds: Manchester City 6/7, Draw 3/1, Liverpool 7/2
Tickets: Sold out
TV: Sky Sports 1
Manchester City
Manager: Manuel Pellegrini
Squad (from): Hart, Caballero, Boyata, Clichy, Demichelis, Kolarov, Kompany, Nastasic, Richards, Sagna, Zabaleta, Fernandinho, Fernando, Lampard, Nasri, Navas, Silva, Toure, Aguero, Dzeko, Jovetic
Injured: Negredo, Mangala
Doubtful: Lampard
Suspended: None
Form guide: W
Liverpool
Manager: Brendan Rodgers
Squad (from): Jones, Mignolet, Coates, Jose Enrique, Johnson, Lovren, Sakho, Skrtel, Toure, Allen, Can, Gerrard, Henderson, Ibe, Lucas, Markovic, Coutinho, Lambert, Sterling, Sturridge
Injured: Agger, Flanagan, Lallana, Assaidi
Doubtful: Markovic
Suspended: None
Form guide: W
Alvaro Negredo is the only City player missing through injury, with a broken foot likely to keep him sidelined until October. New signing Eliaquim Mangala isn't yet match fit, so Martin Demichelis and Vincent Kompany will continue in central defence. Sergio Aguero is pushing Stevan Jovetic for a place alongside Edin Dzeko, having scored as a second half substitute in the 2-0 win at St James Park.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini is expecting a difficult game against last season's runners up, but believes Brendan Rodgers' side may struggle to replace Luis Suarez.
"I watched Liverpool's game [against Southampton] and we played against them in the United States," he said. "We know what they are doing.
"It's difficult to say after one game but Liverpool will always miss Suarez, he was a very important player. They have brought a lot of important new players and continue being a very strong squad also."
City's last home league game against Liverpool ended in a 2-1 victory, with Vincent Kompany and Alvaro Negredo netting for the Blues. Overall City have won 43 of the 169 games played against Liverpool, with 44 draws and 82 defeats.
Read the views of Liverpool fan Chris Wellman here.
Prediction: City 2 Liverpool 1