Football
Mike Whalley 10y

Sakho: Liverpool-Man City is title D-Day

Mamadou Sakho has declared that Liverpool's meeting with Manchester City on Sunday is "D-Day" -- and could be their biggest league match in 24 years. #INSERT type:image caption:Mamadou Sakho says this Sunday's match could be the biggest for Liverpool since he was an infant. END#

Usher: Stick with Sakho

The two sides face each other at Anfield on Sunday with matching ambitions to win this season's Premier League title.

City ended a 44-year wait to be champions of England by pipping neighbours Manchester United to the title in 2012.

But Liverpool are two points clear at the top of the league with five games left -- and if they win them all, they will be champions for the first time since 1990.

That year, the Reds sealed the title with two games to spare as a John Barnes penalty gave them a 2-1 win over QPR on April 28.

And centre-back Sakho, born less than three months before that title win, thinks this could be as big a league match as Liverpool have faced since then.

The 24-year-old told the Daily Express: "We will see on D-Day who is better prepared to take the points."

He added: "Of course this could be the biggest league match Liverpool have played in 24 years.

"It's a match where you win three points -- but it's worth a lot more. It is a match that will place the winner in the best position to go and win the title.

"Ever since I arrived at the club, since the first month, I said it. I told my teammates that we are capable of winning the title. We have the quality and we just have to believe it.

"And voila -- as the season progressed we saw Liverpool grow in strength playing such beautiful football.

"We've not stolen the position where we are today. We deserve it."

Sakho, signed from Paris Saint-Germain last summer, has had his season interrupted by a hamstring injury suffered during the 2-1 defeat at Chelsea on Dec. 29 -- the last time Liverpool lost a Premier League game.

But with a knee problem sidelining Daniel Agger last weekend, the France international was recalled to play alongside Martin Skrtel at centre-back, and he helped the Reds to a ninth successive league victory, as West Ham were beaten 2-1.

Liverpool and City are the Premier League's top two highest-scoring teams this season. And Brendan Rodgers' side lead the way, having hit 90 league goals to City's 84.

But if that would suggest that the strikers will be on top at Anfield on Sunday, Sakho believes that he and his teammates can nullify the threat of City's attack.

He said: "We are confident about facing City's strikers. They do score a lot of goals but so do we. It will be two beautiful attacks against two strong defences. It's a top match pitting two top teams against each other fighting for the title."

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