TEAM NEWS
Manchester City remain without injured leading goalscorer Sergio Aguero and defenders Matija Nastasic, Pablo Zabaleta and Micah Richards for the Boxing Day visit of Liverpool.
Stevan Jovetic missed the win at Fulham because of illness and remains a doubt.
Liverpool defender Jon Flanagan is a doubt with a hamstring strain sustained during the weekend win over Cardiff.
Steven Gerrard, Daniel Sturridge, Jose Enrique and Sebastian Coates are all long-term absentees.
MATCH PREVIEW
So Brendan Rodgers thinks it is Manchester City's title to lose? Well this fascinating fixture might just provide a little more evidence as to how true that might be and another pointer in where Liverpool can realistically be looking in 2014.
The Liverpool manager has said he isn't thinking about the title. It's a very sensible approach ahead of arguably their biggest test yet, as the two highest scorers in the league - with 93 goals between them already - go head-to-head.
For all the debate about Manchester City's away form, the performances and results at home have been outstanding: eight wins out of eight and 35 goals scored in the process.
Liverpool will have closely monitored the way City hit Norwich for seven and Arsenal and Spurs for six. City have scored three goals or more in 10 of their last 12 games in all competitions.
Last season they had the best defensive record, but the 20 goals conceded will be an area of concern for Manuel Pellegrini, who has already used eight different centre-back pairings and changed his goalkeepers this season.
The City backline face the ultimate test in this one. The current figures associated with Luis Suarez are nothing short of remarkable. He's scored 36 goals in his last 34 games for Liverpool in all competitions and 29 in 26 Premier League matches in 2013. You would think he's on course to break the record of 31 goals in a 38-game Premier League season, jointly held by Alan Shearer and Cristiano Ronaldo.
With the current form of the Uruguayan, Liverpool have a fighting chance against anyone. I watched their two setbacks away from home this season at Arsenal and Hull when they were well short of the standards they've set this season. But perhaps, unlike previous seasons, they have responded in emphatic and consistent fashion.
There will be so much individual talent on the pitch you sense almost anything could happen. A fifth consecutive Liverpool win would be some statement of intent. If that does happen, you know who will be the centre of the headlines.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Six of their last nine Premier League meetings have been draws, with City's two wins and Liverpool's solitary victory all coming by a 3-0 scoreline at home.
Manchester City
City are the only team in the Premier League yet to drop a point at home this season. They have also scored in each of their last 58 Premier League home games.
Their tally of 35 goals in their opening eight home games is the most in the top flight for 51 years since Tottenham did the same in 1962-63.
They have failed to score in their last two Boxing Day matches, drawing 0-0 with West Brom in 2011 and losing 1-0 to Sunderland last year.
Manuel Pellegrini's side have the best record in the division against top-half opposition, winning five of eight games and losing only at Chelsea.
Liverpool
The Reds have won their last four league matches, scoring 17 goals in doing so. They last won five consecutive league fixtures within a single season in April-May 2009.
However, they have only won one of their last five Premier League away games (D2, L2).
Liverpool have won 11 of the 12 games in which they have opened the scoring this season, drawing the other.
Their last Boxing Day win was in 2009 when they beat Wolves by 2-0.
Luis Suarez already has 10 goals this December - the most in a month by any player in Premier League history. He has 29 goals in 26 league appearances this calendar year.
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