This is the one we've all been waiting for.

The 2021-22 English Premier League season has been a winding road that has led us to the blue side of Manchester for what should be an epic atmosphere with title-winning flavor. Manchester City and Liverpool, the two favorites for the crown, will square off in a match that has been highly anticipated since the pair started to run away with things at the top of the table.

Easily the two best teams in the league this campaign, City and Liverpool have been on a collision course to this match, one that will surely decide the fate of the title. 

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Pep Guardiola's City has been in control for much of the year until a recent dip in form that has seen them lose once and draw twice in the league since the turn of the year. Liverpool's exhilarating play of late has closed the gap at the top; the Reds have won 10 games and drawn only once in the league since the start of 2022.

It goes without saying that not only are these two the most in-form clubs in the league but also the highest-quality sides, with Transfermarkt valuing Liverpool's squad at nearly $1 billion while City's roster eclipses that amount.

Within those teams are plenty of stars who could provide a game-changing element to Sunday's fixture. In an effort to distill things down slightly, let's examine some of the players to keep an eye on, starting with arguably the best player who will take the pitch on either side.

 

Player to Watch: Kevin De Bruyne

Few players in the world have been playing better than this man.Soccrates Images/Getty Images

It's hard to argue about De Bruyne's dominance this season, especially lately. Undoubtedly the first player on Pep's teamsheet, the Belgian linchpin just makes everything Man City does that much better than when he's on the pitch.

His tour de force against Atletico Madrid's 10 defenders in midweek UEFA Champions League action added more personal hardware to his cabinet, and deservedly so. Scoring the winner in that game from a fantastic Phil Foden through ball, De Bruyne has seemingly expanded his game to being a consistent goalscorer. This is bad news for opposing defenses.