REUTERS: The much-anticipated clash between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on Saturday looks like a knockout to determine who can challenge Chelsea for the Premier League title.

A draw would do neither side any favours in their pursuit of Antonio Conte’s Blues who are six points clear of second-placed Liverpool and threatening to disappear over the horizon even before new year.

City lie one point further back in third and have traditionally reserved some of their worst performances for Liverpool. Last season they were humiliated 4-1 at home and have not won at Anfield since 2003.

At least they seem unlikely to face their chief recent tormentor, Philippe Coutinho, who is recovering from an ankle injury. Coutinho has scored five goals in his last six games against them.

They can also call on Sergio Aguero to lead their attack as he has completed a four-game suspension.

Much will depend on how Liverpool’s wobbly defence handles the Argentine although they possess plenty of threat at the other end with Adam Lallana leading the comeback in Tuesday’s 4-1 victory over Stoke City and Daniel Sturridge fit and firing again after scoring his first Premier League goal of the season.

City must also keep a close eye on Sadio Mane, who scored a hat-trick in his last game against them, for Southampton in a 4-2 win this year.

Pep Guardiola watched Tuesday’s victory from the stands and knows Anfield will again be red hot. Stoke, meanwhile, will need to show more resilience at Stamford Bridge to prevent Chelsea bagging a 13th successive Premier League win to equal the record set by Arsenal in one season in 2001-02.

Chelsea’s Diego Costa and N’Golo Kante both return from suspension but Pedro is missing after receiving his fifth booking of the season in Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Bournemouth.

Champions Leicester City are deep in trouble after just one win in nine games and will again be without the suspended Jamie Vardy against fast improving West Ham United. Claudio Ranieri must decide whether to recall Riyad Mahrez after dropping the Algerian against Everton.

Mahrez is one of four Leicester players about to depart for the African Nations Cup so the Italian is expected to spend heavily in the transfer window. Swansea City are also looking to strengthen their under-performing squad once they appoint a manger to succeed Bob Bradley who was sacked this week.

The Swans are 19th and desperately need a win at home to Bournemouth. The only side below them, Hull City, entertain Everton on Friday while 15th-placed Middlesbrough, away to Manchester United on Saturday, are among the sides looking anxiously below them.

Sam Allardyce’s Crystal Palace face a difficult game at Arsenal on Sunday when Tottenham Hotspur make the short trip to Watford.

Five great Liverpool versus Manchester City games

Liverpool 0 Manchester City 5 (Mar, 1937)

City went into this game chasing the title after a three-month unbeaten run. With Frank Swift in goal, their superiority in this game was “overwhelming enough to nullify analysis”, according to a newspaper report. Eric Brook scored a hat-trick while Liverpool’s Matt Busby, the former City favourite who went on to become Manchester United manager, gave “a disheartened display (that) was a tragedy for Liverpool.” City did not look back, going on to win the league after scoring 49 goals more than second-placed Charlton Athletic.

Liverpool 1 Manchester City 3 (Dec, 1981)

This game was significant not so much for City’s victory, courtesy of the sort of Bruce Grobbelaar goalkeeping blunders that would shame even Loris Karius or Simon Mignolet, but the fact that it represented a rare low point in Liverpool’s progress to the title under Bob Paisley. Floundering in 12th place, they went on to steamroller the division to pip Ipswich Town while City, who were second after their first Anfield win for 28 years, dropped to 10th.

Liverpool 1 Manchester City 2 (May, 2003)

Manchester City’s only Premier League win at Anfield came in 2003, and they left it until the third minute of injury time to score the winner. Former Liverpool striker Nicolas Anelka completed City’s comeback with his second goal after Milan Baros had volleyed the Reds ahead. Ex-Red Robbie Fowler was also in the City side, who were managed by another Anfield favourite, Kevin Keegan.

Manchester City 2 Liverpool 3 (Oct, 2008)

This performance showed why Rafa Benitez’s side pushed Manchester United close for the title in 2008-9. Trailing to strikes from Stephen Ireland and Javier Garrido at the break, Liverpool never lost their self-belief and after a Fernando Torres double and Pablo Zabaleta’s dismissal had turned the tide, Dirk Kuyt once again proving himself the striker for the big occasion with a close-range winner late on.

Manchester City 1 Liverpool 4 (Nov, 2015)

This was a contender for Liverpool’s best performance under Juergen Klopp. 

City were torn apart in the first half by a dazzling performance at the Etihad that saw the visitors go three up through a Mangala own goal and strikes from Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino.

 Sergio Aguero rallied City before the break but Martin Skrtel restored the winning margin with a thunderous fourth late on.