Phil Foden will be looking to equal a Premier League scoring record when Manchester City travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday.
The 22-year-old, who penned a new three-year contract extension on Friday, has established himself as a first-team regular under Pep Guardiola this season, starting in 10 of City's 13 games across all competitions.
Foden heads into this weekend's game in fine form after scoring five goals in his last three Premier League appearances, including a memorable hat-trick in the 6-3 derby triumph over Manchester United.
Indeed, the England international has also had plenty of joy in front of goal against Liverpool, recording three goals and two assists in four top-flight matches against the Reds.
Foden has scored in both of his last two league visits to Anfield, netting City's fourth goal in a 4-1 victory in February 2021, before scoring in a 2-2 draw last season.
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Should Foden find the net again on Sunday, the attacker will become just the third visiting player in Premier League history to score in three successive games at Anfield.
Andy Cole became the first player to achieve this feat, scoring his first goal during this run for Manchester United in October 1999 before netting the next two with Blackburn Rovers between May and December in 2002.
Prior to joining Liverpool, Christian Benteke became the second player to score in three successive league games at Anfield, finding the net in two matches with Aston Villa between December 2012 and January 2014 before scoring for Crystal Palace in April 2017.
Man City are unbeaten in each of their last five Premier League meetings against Liverpool, accumulating nine points in the process with four of those picked up in their last two visits to Anfield.
However, Liverpool have won the last two encounters against the Citizens, winning 3-2 in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in April before claiming a 3-1 victory in the Community Shield in July.
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Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have seen their respective sides battle it out for the Premier League title in recent years, but it has been the former who has come out on top in three of the last four seasons.
Liverpool have struggled to mount a serious challenge so far this term as they have won only two of their first eight league games and are currently languishing in 11th place, 13 points adrift of Man City in second and 14 behind leaders Arsenal.
Klopp believes that Sunday's showdown is not a title decider for his side, but Guardiola feels that the Reds "always have been and always will be" City's biggest challengers for the top-flight crown.
City will extend their unbeaten away run in the Premier League to 23 matches if they avoid defeat against Liverpool, and they could finish the weekend at the top of the table if they better Arsenal's result at Leeds United.
Oliver Thomas
