Four Matches to Watch | Klopp tests season’s readiness against Pepped-up City

Liverpool v Man. City @Wembley @3pm on August 4

The Citizens have been strengthened with Rodri’s capture from Atletico Madrid while Jurgen Klopp has moaned about his club’s inability to cope with City’s riches – an agreement quickly rebuffed by City.

Sunday starts another campaign that looks likely to be as tight as last season though some AI predictions see City winning the EPL title by no less than six points as against just the point through which City pipped Liverpool to the title last season.

The Reds have had an iffy off-season but one mistake they cannot afford this new season is to start slow because Pep Guardiola’s men are purring already.

Current Form: Liverpool [W-L-D-L-L]; Man. City [W-W-L-W-W]

Head to head

03/01/19 PRL Man. City 2 – 1 Liverpool

07/10/18 PRL Liverpool 0 – 0 Man. City

26/07/18 ICC Man. City 1 – 2 Liverpool

10/04/18 UCL Man. City 1 – 2 Liverpool

04/04/18 UCL Liverpool 3 – 0 Man. City

Prediction: Liverpool 1-3 Man. City

Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich @Signal-Iduna-Park @7:30pm on August 3

The 5-0 defeat at the Allianz in April must have been the cathartic confirmation to Lucien Favre’s men that the Bundesliga title would once again slip away. The margin to Bayern has narrowed but not totally closed.

The return of Mats Hummels to the Dortmund defence could see a further shrinking of the gap whilst they have added Thorgen Hazard to complement the tireless dribbler in Jadon Sancho.

Bayern’s transfers seem incomplete with the continuing agenda to recruit Leroy Sane from Manchester City while Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman limped out of their last match – their penalty kicks loss to Tottenham in the Audi Cup. This should be an interesting spectacle.

Current Form: Dortmund [W-W-W-W-W]; Bayern [L-W-W-W-L]

Head to head

06/04/19 BUN Bayern 5 – 0 Dortmund

10/11/18 BUN Dortmund 3 – 2 Bayern

31/03/18 BUN Bayern 6 – 0 Dortmund

20/12/17 DFP Bayern 2 – 1 Dortmund

04/11/17 BUN Dortmund 1 – 3 Bayern

Prediction: Dortmund 1-3 Bayern

PSG v Rennes @Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre @12:30pm on August 3

The Parisians have revenge as the motivation when they face Rennes in the Trophée des Champions on Saturday at the Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre in China.

With Neymar definitely missing, PSG’s leading light, Kylian Mbappe told his club’s website his team wants to right the wrong of losing the Coupe de France title to the Roazhon Park-side, the third title the side have won since been formed in 1901.

Mbappe told his club’s website, “There’s definitely a little bit of revenge in the air for the team. The new season is starting and losing to Rennes in the Coupe de France final hurt us. For me, it is a new season and we’ll give everything in order to try to win the trophy.”

Meanwhile, the Julien Stephan-led Rennes will be without their African contingent – Senegalese AFCON finalists, M’Baye Niang, Ismaïla Sarr and AFCON winner, Ramy Bensebaini.

Current Form: PSG [W-L-D-W-L]; Rennes [L-L-D-W-W]

Head to head

06/04/19 BUN Bayern 5 – 0 Dortmund

10/11/18 BUN Dortmund 3 – 2 Bayern

31/03/18 BUN Bayern 6 – 0 Dortmund

20/12/17 DFP Bayern 2 – 1 Dortmund

04/11/17 BUN Dortmund 1 – 3 Bayern

Prediction: PSG 3-0 Rennes

Man. Utd v AC Milan @Principality Stadium @5:30pm on August 3

Two giants trying to stage resurrections – Manchester United and AC Milan meet in the International Champions Cup on Saturday in Cardiff with both struggling to get quality players into their squads.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is hoping to capture Harry Maguire from Leicester whilst keeping Paul Pogba happy in Manchester while new Milan manager, Marco Giampaolo will be hoping that Krzysztof Piatek and new recruit, Rafael Leao quickly get in tandem to fire up the Rossoneri.

Current Form: Man. Utd [W-W-W-W-W]; AC Milan [L-L-W-W-W]

Head to head

26/07/18 ICC AC Milan 1 – 1 Man. Utd

10/03/10 UCL Man. Utd 4 – 0 AC Milan

16/02/10 UCL AC Milan 2 – 3 Man. Utd

02/05/07 UCL AC Milan 3 – 0 Man. Utd

24/04/07 UCL Man. Utd 3 – 2 AC Milan

Prediction: Man. Utd 2-1 AC Milan