Darwin Nunez’s 18 minutes of brilliance serve as a Liverpool blueprint for Manchester City.

The trip of Liverpool to Manchester City on Saturday at noon could set the tone for Jurgen Klopp’s upcoming hectic six weeks or so.

A first Premier League victory at the Etihad since 2015 would propel them to the summit of the standings, but a trip to the reigning champions will undoubtedly present Klopp and his squad with their most difficult away day of the year.

While Klopp’s squad strives for a statement victory in Manchester, the ECHO’s LFC writers select their starting frontline prior to Saturday’s big encounter.

On the counter, “Nunez and Diaz pace could be crucial.”

Paul Gorst: Given that two of Klopp’s South American quartet are positioned in his forward line, his decision in this regard will require considerable deliberation.

Mohamed Salah, who scored four goals for Egypt during the international break, will continue to occupy the right flank of the triumvirate, whereas Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez’s inclusions remain uncertain.

Last week, in a 2-1 victory over Brazil, Diaz scored two goals. His emotional father, who had just been released from a nearly two-week ordeal as a hostage in Colombia, witnessed the match from the audience. It was a moment of redemption for Diaz and his family.

In addition to securing a decisive victory for los Cafeteros over Alisson Becker’s Selecao, the rapid-fire double moved his father, Luis Manuel, to tears as he celebrated with friends and family in the throng. Consequently, Diaz may be in a position to genuinely commence his campaign as he endeavors to transition his family away from a distressing period. During this upcoming weekend, he will undoubtedly exude confidence.

Additionally, Nunez has performed admirably for Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay, and the club has taken note of their error during the international break in September, when they were unable to repatriate all four of their players until Thursday morning, prior to their Saturday luncheon. Precautions have been taken to ensure their timely return in advance of the match on Saturday. That might be crucial.

Given his work ethic and ability to squeak home a goal from very little, Diogo Jota could play either centrally or on the left for Jurgen Klopp at the Etihad. Cody Gakpo’s skill in maintaining the possession in dangerous areas is another factor to consider. The Netherlands international can also play in the midfield if the engine room is overworked, but City, who will be looking to press up and seize the initiative at home, could be severely troubled by Diaz and Nunez’s speed and skill on the counterattack.

The members of my front three are Salah, Nunez, and Diaz.

“In-form Jota must commence operations due to South American travels that mandate a decision.”

Theo Squires: Choosing Liverpool’s front three is no longer the most straightforward task in the universe.

Pep Guardiola greatly dreaded Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino; all three of them tormented Manchester City on numerous occasions. It has been eight years since the Reds last won a Premier League title at the Etihad, however, and that means a new formidable triumvirate must form.

Regardless of whether he scored four goals for Egypt during the November international break or not, Salah remains a consistent first-name contributor to Jurgen Klopp’s right-wing roster. However, the remaining two forwards’ identities remain obscure.

During the international break, both Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz scored in historic victories for Uruguay and Colombia, respectively. Nunez scored in a 2-0 away victory against reigning world champions Argentina, while Diaz recorded a brace in a 2-1 triumph over Brazil. Despite this, both players are scheduled to return to action in South America early Wednesday morning, when this article initially appears.

Both possess scintillating speed that is capable of destroying City, but it would be risky to start both for Saturday’s early kickoff following their international exploits. It ought to be either one of the two.

Historically, Cody Gakpo was anticipated to receive the starting decision first, having established himself as the long-term successor to Mariano Firmino. By lowering himself further, he can create room for Salah and, if chosen, Diaz to instigate chaos in the final third. However, he is still recovering from an ankle injury and has not been in peak form thus far this season.

Conversely, Diogo Jota must commence. He has been available for all five Premier League matches between Liverpool and Manchester City since joining the club in 2020. In his last two visits to the Etihad, he has contributed to a goal and an assist. Additionally, he is currently in fine form, having scored five goals in eight appearances since receiving a red card against Tottenham Hotspur.

Additionally, he is in good health following a lack of playing time against Iceland on Sunday for Portugal. In his most recent appearance, which occurred last Thursday in a 2-0 victory over Liechtenstein, he contributed an assist while covering the entire 90 minutes.

However, does Jota exit down the middle or to the left? Considering Nunez’s current form, I am compelled to utilize the Portuguese on the flanks to unleash chaos up front. In addition to Salah, the triumvirate have a combined 27 goals for Liverpool this season; however, the South Americans’ condition following international duty must be considered prior to the dreaded Saturday 12.30pm kickoff.

There will without a doubt be objectives at the Etihad. And it is possible that this prolific front three is in the greatest position to provide them for Klopp’s squad.

The members of my front three are Salah, Nunez, and Jota.

One-eighth-minute highlights why Nunez is crucial.

When Liverpool last visited the Etihad Stadium, Darwin Nunez was not considered suitable to start, according to Joe Rimmer.

After being sidelined during the international break due to a foot laceration, Nunez had not undergone adequate recovery or training to meet the requirements for consideration for the squad. Nevertheless, he resorted to the bench and arrived with 20 minutes remaining; Pep Guardiola’s squad led 3-1 and were coasting.

It was unfortunate for Liverpool, as City were the most familiar with the impact Nunez is capable of producing.

In fact, the Uruguayan established himself as a Liverpool player in August 2022 with a goal in the Community Shield match against Manchester City. In December of that year, he provided an assist but was unfortunate not to score in a League Cup loss at the Etihad.

However, in November at Anfield, where Mohamed Salah’s game-winning goal separated the two teams, it was his 18-minute cameo that truly demonstrated his worth by running City exhausted.

On the counterattack, he surged up the field and further perplexed Guardiola by bringing the game to City. It was a remarkable performance in such a short period of time, as eight shots, three shots, and the lead chance of the match were generated.

And now that he has notably matured since then and developed a rapport with Mohamed Salah, he is poised to play a crucial role against City this weekend as Liverpool attempt to put pressure on Guardiola’s squad on their home turf.

Although I personally favor the equilibrium of Liverpool’s attack when Luis Diaz is present, I have a sense that Diogo Jota’s ability to score crucial goals and the way he and Nunez can interchange positions in the attack could prove to be decisive factors.

The members of my front three are Salah, Nunez, and Jota.