Three key battles to watch-out for as Liverpool take on Manchester City

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James Milner vs Raheem Sterling

This individual battle has a little extra fire given that it is a clash between two players both facing their former clubs. James Milner, ever-reliable utility man, has been a star-turn in the unfamiliar left-back position for the Reds since being re-deployed by Jurgen Klopp. He has not only added an extra attacking dimension from the position, scoring five and registering two assists, but also proven a calm an collected presence which so often lacked in Alberto Moreno, and in their last outing against Stoke he put in more tackles than any Liverpool player has in a single Premier League game this season with nine.

With five goals and three assists to his name this season, Raheem Sterling is just ahead of Milner in terms of statistics in a more advanced position, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that he has been a much improved player since Guardiola’s arrival at the Etihad. He seems to have shaken off the self-doubt and endeavoured in every individual duel to attack his opponent, and it has so often paid dividends for City not only through his contribution of assists and goals, but through the fact that no other player has won as many penalties as the England international this season.

Sterling is sure to prove a handful for his former club, but he will have to get the better of a solid and commanding presence in Milner, who will have just as much resolve to win the game for his side against his former employers. This struggle for supremacy down the Liverpool left and the City right may well hold a great deal of weight in deciding for whom the match will swing in favour of.

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