Manchester City and Liverpool are heading into the home straight but who has strength in depth?

As the clock ticks down in the title race and Liverpool and Manchester City go toe-to-toe in the quest for Premier League glory, Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola must dig into their squads to find solutions at the most critical moments.

As the battle goes down to the wire and the two teams compete on two fronts in the Premier League and Champions League, the title may yet be decided by which side has the greater strength in depth. 

On Sunday alone, Liverpool were confronted by an injury to key forward Roberto Firmino, while Manchester City’s aspirations may be damaged by an injury to midfield powerhouse Fernandinho. 

Here Sportsmail breaks down the two squads and highlights where the title may be won and lost.

Roberto Firmino was injured on Sunday and will be a huge loss to Liverpool in coming games

GOALKEEPER AND DEFENCE

Liverpool have Brazil’s No 1 goalkeeper in Alisson and Manchester Ciy have the country’s second choice in Ederson. In truth, there is barely anything to choose between the two goalkeepers but the two are both essential to their respective teams’ style of play. 

The prospect of having to use back-up Simon Mignolet for the coming crucial fixtures would have the Anfield nerves fraying once more. Pep Guardiola very nearly plumped for young goalkeeper Arijanet Muric in the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea on Sunday but eventually settled on Ederson.

In the defensive positions, City have mostly been operating without a top-class left-back for almost two seasons now following the sustained injury problems of Benjamin Mendy. 

Vincent Kompany is one of a number of strong options at centre-back for Manchester City

Fabian Delph, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Aymeric Laporte have not always convinced in the role but in central defence, City are well stocked with Vincent Kompany, John Stones, Nicolas Otamendi and Laporte at centre-half.

Liverpool’s defence faces greater question marks, particularly the reliance on Virgil Van Dijk and the Dutchman is truly Klopp’s one indispensable player. 

There may also be a few concerns at right-back, where Klopp was sufficiently concerned about Trent Alexander-Arnold that he opted for James Milner to be out of position at full-back in the draw against Manchester United on Sunday.

Virgil van Dijk has been a colossus for Liverpool and they would struggle without him

MIDFIELD

Manchester City’s major concern will be the absence of Fernandinho for a ‘few weeks’ after he limped off during the cup final victory over Chelsea in extra-time.

Fernandinho is the glue that holds the City midfield together, launching attacks from deep, cynically breaking up the play and chipping in with the occasional goal himself. Yet he is now 33 and wear and tear is inevitable. 

When he missed the Christmas fixtures against Crystal Palace and Leicester, City lost both games, with neither Ilkay Gundogan nor John Stones quite able to replicate Fernandinho’s efficiency. City will also need their midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne to recover the blistering form of last season.

As for Liverpool, a void of creativity continues to undermine their efforts from the midfield positions. 

Fabinho tends to appear the most likely to unlock the door when Liverpool’s penetration from full-back positions and their high-paced front three falters. 

Yet sometimes a magical pass is required from a dogged midfield and it is not always forthcoming. Naby Keita has not yet produced memorable moments in a Liverpool shirt and Klopp needs this variety to come from his midfield in the title run-in.

Fernandinho suffered a groin problem in the Carabao Cup final win over Chelsea 

Naby Keita could help spark some magic for Liverpool and they need some creativity

FORWARDS

Much was made of the players Manchester United lost at Old Trafford on Sunday but the first-half exit for Roberto Firmino may be very damaging for Liverpool. Klopp’s side are at their best when Firmino is on song, pressing defences, working diligently and always offering that sprinkle of quality.

Without him, Liverpool do have to play rather differently. Neither Daniel Sturridge nor Xherdan Shaqiri provide the same intensity and it may be that Klopp operates with Mo Salah – himself a touch out of form having failed to score in six of his past nine matches – as a central striker in the coming weeks.

City, by contrast, are spoiled for choice. Gabriel Jesus is a noble deputy for Sergio Aguero while Guardiola could afford to have Leroy Sane, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez on the bench against Chelsea on Sunday.

Mo Salah has looked bit off colour recently and Liverpool need him to be at his best