Liverpool out to end Man City's hot streak

Roberto Mancini believes Liverpool would pose a formidable obstacle as Manchester City aim to bounce from their Champions League disappointment at Anfield on Sunday.

City need just a point for a club record 16-game unbeaten streak, while victory would make it an incredible eight successive Premier League wins.

However, Mancini's side will still feel they have a point to prove after the 2-1 defeat in Napoli and possible Champions League elimination at the group stage.

Liverpool are currently sixth in the table and 12 points behind league leaders Manchester City, but Mancini is fully aware of the test the Merseysiders will pose.

Mancini would like a response similar to that which sparked a nine-game winning run after September's defeat at Bayern Munich but he points out there is nothing straightforward about a trip to Anfield.

He said: "The game (on Sunday) will be different. After Munich we played Blackburn. That game was difficult but I think (Sunday) will be more difficult. Liverpool are a strong team.

"I think Champions League and Barclays Premier League are different situations.

"Now we have lost against Napoli, maybe we have less chance to go through.

"But in the Premier League we are on top and we want to continue to do well."

City have a poor recent record at Anfield having not won in their last eight visits.

Mancini said: "I think we are better as a team this year. Last year, one week later, we played an FA Cup semi-final and that was important.

"We played without three or four important players.

"But sometimes the other team can play better and Liverpool played very well.

"I think this year we have improved a lot as a team. We have played very well and we have scored goals."

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has been in bullish mood ahead of the game and revealed he is considering starting Andy Carroll after the striker's brace in the win last season.

"Andy scored two great goals against them last year but we got our reward for that and so did Andy," said Dalglish. "That is not to say because he scored two last year he will do the same this year - you are giving yourself a bit of a problem if you think that's you finished.

"We will start afresh, Andy included, for the game on Sunday and if we can repeat the same result everyone will be happy."

Steven Gerrard (ankle) is out for Liverpool, while Manchester City have concerns over Mario Balotelli who is struggling with a fever.

Liverpool's win over City last season was the last time Mancini's side failed to score in a top-flight match - they have found the back of the net in 18 games since, bagging 52 goals in total.

Balotelli has scored five in four Premier League starts this season, while Sergio Aguero has ten in 11 appearances.

City haven't won at Anfield in the last eight visits, and have picked up three points just once in the last 12 games against Liverpool. Carroll has scored four goals in five Premier League appearances against City.

Dalglish also believes City are a better team without the individual brilliance of Carlos Tevez.

The Liverpool boss said: “City have got a lot more points than they had at the same stage last season. The fact that they are top of the league means they must be better now than they were then. I remember when we beat them last season at Anfield when they lost Tevez to an injury after about 20 minutes.

“Tevez was a big miss for them that night, but they didn’t have Aguero to replace him. Losing Tevez is a blow, but Aguero has come in and done well so they have just ­replaced one with the other.

“They have brought someone else in and they will keep doing that if they feel that’s what needs to be done.

“They didn’t have the same strength last season as they’ve got this year.”

City have won 11 and drawn one of their opening 12 games — the best start to a top-flight season since Spurs in 1963.

Dalglish added: “They are top of the league. That tells you mathematically they are the best team in the league, but it doesn’t tell you they can’t be beaten.”

City have certainly been in fine goalscoring form, having struck 42 times in the league so far, but Mancini sees the coming month as a stern test of their credentials.

He said: "We play against Liverpool, Norwich, West Brom, Chelsea, Arsenal - I think the next month will be an important month."

City actually play Arsenal twice in the weeks ahead, the first being a League Cup quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

The Gunners then visit the Etihad Stadium in the league in December, a month that will also feature their decisive Champions League game against Bayern and a home clash with Stoke.

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