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LONDON. – Manchester City and Liverpool’s ascension to be the two top dogs in the English Premier League football has seen every meeting in recent seasons met with increasing animosity.

No player bears the brunt of that bad blood more than Raheem Sterling on his return to Anfield.

Sterling has flourished under Pep Guardiola, becoming a vital part of City’s two title-winning campaigns in the last two seasons, while Liverpool’s wait for a league crown has now stretched to 30 years.

Sterling left just three months before Jurgen Klopp arrived to revitalise the Reds after a season in which they finished sixth, 17 points behind City.

Liverpool have still yet to finish above the English champions in Klopp’s four seasons in charge, but the gap was down to a single point as City edged a titanic title race last season.

And it is Liverpool who will start tomorrow’s top-of-the-table clash with an early six-point lead over City in the title race.

Sterling cannot be faulted for a sloppier start to the season by Guardiola’s men after two near-perfect campaigns.

For club and country, Sterling has already scored 18 goals in 20 appearances, including his first against Liverpool as City won the Community Shield in August.

“All the credit is for him,” said Guardiola after Sterling’s recent Champions League hat-trick against Atlanta.

“His physicality is incredible. He’s strong the day after the game, he could play another game. He can play on both sides, is fast, defensively help us a lot, so is an extraordinary player.”

Sterling’s input at both ends of the field will be key if City are to somehow halt Liverpool’s momentum and inflict a first league defeat at Anfield for the hosts since April 2017.

City’s defence has been decimated by a long-term injury to Aymeric Laporte, while goalkeeper Ederson is out. Attack is likely to be the best form of defence for the visitors, but Sterling will also be forced to keep an eye on one of Liverpool’s most potent attacking outlets in right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.

“He’s crucial for us, you need this type of player, a game-changing player, and he is probably the one player who can change everything for us,” said City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan on Sterling’s influence.

“Just now it’s about consistency but he has shown in the last 12 to 18 months that he is able to be that consistent. He is among the five best attacking players in the world, definitely.”

Sterling has won five major trophies and plenty more plaudits since moving to Manchester, but is yet to score or win in a City shirt at Anfield.

End that drought and City will be well back in the hunt to inflict more title pain on his former employers.

But Liverpool have a gilt-edged chance to inflict a hammer blow on Manchester City’s hopes of a third successive Premier League crown in a seismic clash at Anfield tomorrow but failure to do so could revive bitter memories.

 English Premiership Fixtures (all 5pm unless otherwise stated)

Today:  Chelsea v Crystal Palace (Stamford Bridge, 2:30pm); Burnley v West Ham United (Turf Moor); Newcastle United v AFC Bournemouth (St. James’ Park); Southampton v Everton (St. Mary’s Stadium); Tottenham Hotspur v Sheffield United (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium); Leicester City v  Arsenal (King Power Stadium, 7:30pm).

Tomorrow:  Manchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion (Old Trafford, 6pm); Wolverhampton Wanderers v Aston Villa (Molineux Stadium, 4pm);  Liverpool v Manchester City (Anfield, 6:30pm).

  Italian Serie Fixtures

Today: Brescia v Torino (4pm); Inter Milan v Verona (7pm); Napoli v Genoa (9:45pm)

Tomorrow: Cagliari v Fiorentina (1:30pm); Lazio v Lecce; Sampdoria v Atalanta; Udinese v SPAL (4pm); Parma v Roma (7pm);

Juventus v AC Milan (9:45pm)-AFP.