Liverpool are set to welcome Manchester City to Anfield on Sunday, 11 October 2026, for a blockbuster Premier League matchweek 6 encounter — a fixture that pits two reborn sides against each other under new management.

New faces in the dugout

Both clubs stepped into this season with fresh managerial appointments. Liverpool parted ways with Arne Slot and handed the reins to Andoni Iraola, while Manchester City bid farewell to the legendary Pep Guardiola after a decade at the Etihad Stadium. Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has taken charge at City.

Liverpool's form heading in

Iraola's side has been unbeaten but inconsistent. The Reds opened the campaign with back-to-back draws against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest before beating Ipswich Town and Atletico Madrid in their UEFA Champions League opener. A goalless draw at home to Fulham followed, before Liverpool defeated Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 in the Carabao Cup and rounded off the pre-break stretch with a hard-fought 1-0 win at Bournemouth.

City's perfect start

Maresca, by contrast, could hardly have asked for a better beginning. Manchester City are the only English side to have won every game this term. After beating Bournemouth 2-1, Crystal Palace, and Coventry City, they travelled to Portugal and defeated Porto in the Champions League. A controversial Manchester derby win followed — decided by Erling Haaland's goal against Manchester United — before City thrashed Norwich City 5-0 in the Carabao Cup and edged Sunderland in an eight-goal thriller to sit top of the Premier League heading into the break.

Head-to-head record

Liverpool hold the historical advantage in this fixture: across 197 meetings, the Reds have claimed 92 victories to City's 55, with 50 draws. However, last season belonged entirely to City, who swept all three meetings — a 2-1 win at Anfield and emphatic 3-0 and 4-0 victories at the Etihad in the league and FA Cup quarter-final respectively. A fourth straight win over Liverpool would be City's first such sequence in 89 years.

Players to watch

Alexis Mac Allister has been a driving force for Liverpool, contributing two goals and an assist while helping maintain the Reds' unbeaten run. The 27-year-old Argentina international brings intelligence and tempo control to Iraola's midfield. Dominik Szoboszlai has been equally influential, scoring three goals this season — with three goals and an assist against City across his career making him a particularly dangerous presence in this fixture.

For City, Haaland has been unstoppable, plundering seven goals in as many games to start the campaign. The Norwegian striker has eight goals against Liverpool across all competitions and will be eager to extend that record. Rayan Cherki, City's other danger man, has contributed four goals and two assists in eight appearances for Maresca's side.

Team news

Liverpool will be without Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo, both injured during the international break. Lewis Koumas is expected to lead the line after impressing in the Carabao Cup win over Tottenham Hotspur. Jeremy Jacquet is fit to partner Virgil van Dijk in central defence, and Federico Chiesa is back after recovering from a pre-season injury. Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike, and Giovanni Leoni remain unavailable.

City welcome Haaland back to full fitness despite a scare during the international break. Antoine Semenyo is also expected to feature after returning to training. Nico O'Reilly's availability remains uncertain after he withdrew from the England squad with an unspecified injury. Phil Foden will miss the match through suspension, serving the third game of a three-match ban earned after his red card in the Manchester derby.

Possible starting line-ups

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Ngumoha, Wirtz, Barcola; Koumas.

Man City (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Gvardiol; Fernandez, Anderson; Semenyo, Cherki, Doku; Haaland.