By Gary Fulcher.

Liverpool face their toughest test yet under Brendan Rodgers, with reigning champions Manchester City our first opponents of the season at Anfield (4pm kick off UK time). Whether Mancini genuinely thinks we can challenge for the title this season or not, the Reds will be hoping to record a first victory of the campaign against the best team in England.

City haven’t won at Anfield in any of their previous nine visits – a sequence consisting of six defeats and three draws – and Roberto Mancini has yet to record a victory at L4 as a manager from four attempts while in charge of Inter Milan and Manchester City.

The corresponding fixture last season between the two sides ended in a 1-1 draw. Vincent Kompany’s opener was cancelled out by a Joleon Lescott own goal, while Mario Balotelli was sent off with seven minutes remaining. Joe Hart was in outstanding form for City and was voted man of the match by many observers.

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