Manchester City travel to Liverpool this evening hoping to end 2016 on a high by leapfrogging the Reds in the Premier League table.

Pep Guardiola’s side are a point and a place behind their opponents, but go into tonight’s clash off the back of three successive league wins over Watford, Arsenal, and Hull.

Their most recent victory at Hull on Boxing Day was not hugely convincing, but it nevertheless was their seventh league win on the road this season – the joint-most of any side in the division.

However, they’ll need to be at their best to overcome a Liverpool side that have not lost any of their last 16 Premier League matches at Anfield, dating back to January this year.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have also won their last three league games, and go into this one knowing that a win would put them four points clear of City at the halfway stage of the season.

In what is likely to be an intriguing encounter at Anfield, here are THREE reasons why Manchester City will come away with all three points this evening…

Travel well

City have won seven and lost just two of their nine Premier League games this season, and their tally of 21 points is only bettered by league leaders Chelsea (22).

Guardiola’s side beat neighbours Manchester United 2-1 back in September and, although they have lost at Tottenham and Leicester, City have looked good and grinded out a few big wins away from home.

They got back to winning ways on the road last time out with victory at Hull and, although it wasn’t overly convincing, they again picked up three points on the road.

City’s record at Anfield is poor, having won none of their last 13 league games there, yet their fine away record and recent good run should give them confidence that they will end that barren spell on Saturday.

Aguero returns

City will be hugely boosted by the return of striker Sergio Aguero at Anfield.

The Argentine international has served his four-game ban for a horrific tackle on David Luiz at the start of the month, and should be fit and ready to take to the pitch on Saturday.

He has scored ten goals in 12 Premier League appearances this season, and has four in eight games against Liverpool.

Aguero has netted a goal every 101 minutes this season, which is a better rate than every other player to have scored at least five times, solidifying his position as one of the best forwards in world football.

He may not have been at his best pre-suspension, but a fully fit Aguero is a daunting prospect for any defence in the Premier League.

They cannot afford to lose

It may only be the 19th league game of the campaign, but City really cannot afford to lose at Anfield this evening.

They would fall four points behind Klopp’s side if they were to suffer a fourth defeat of the season, but more importantly they could find themselves ten points leaders Chelsea should the Blues beat Stoke on Saturday.

That would surely big too big a gap to overcome.

It’s also worth noting that defeat for City and wins for Arsenal, Tottenham, and Manchester United over the weekend would see Guardiola’s side slip to fifth and just three points ahead of United in sixth.

This game is crucial not just for their title charge, as their place in the top four would come under severe threat with defeat at Anfield.