Sunday's clash between Manchester City and <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/liverpool/" target="_blank">Liverpool</a> at the Etihad Stadium is without doubt the biggest match of the season. The top-of-the-table Premier League clash will likely play a key role in deciding the fate of the title race. Victory for Pep Guardiola's <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/manchester-city/" target="_blank">City</a> would give them a four-point lead with seven games left, while Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool would edge ahead with a win. It has been a dramatic turn of events after City saw a 14-point lead over Liverpool in January <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2022/04/02/manchester-city-swiftly-regain-premier-league-advantage-with-win-at-burnley/" target="_blank">reduced to one </a>after Klopp's team won 10 consecutive league matches. While the focus is on the blockbuster match, another story is unfolding on the sidelines. Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah's contract situation continues to garner interest, but the Egyptian star maintains he cannot be "selfish" and discuss it now as the club focuses on an unprecedented quadruple. The Merseyside club <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2022/02/27/liverpool-win-dramatic-league-cup-final-after-tuchels-kepa-gamble-backfires/" target="_blank">won the League Cup in February</a> and are in the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2022/04/05/luiz-diaz-rides-the-storm-to-put-liverpool-in-command-against-benfica/" target="_blank">quarter-finals of the Champions League</a>, having also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Salah's contract expires in June next year and negotiations over a new deal <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2022/01/12/jurgen-klopp-very-positive-that-mohamed-salah-will-sign-new-liverpool-contract/" target="_blank">have been going on for some time</a>. British media reported the Egypt international is close to agreeing a deal with the club to keep him until the end of his career. "I can't be selfish and talk about my situation," Salah told Sky Sports. "We are in the most important period for the team so I have to just talk about the team, focus on what is coming with the team and that is the most important thing." Asked if he was confident a new contract would be finalised out, Salah said: "I can't say yes, I can't say no but I have said many times before about what I want. "But again, I can't go deep into my contract now because it is a really sensitive situation. "The team need to win and I can't be just going into the news and just talking about my contract. I just focus with the team, and that is it." Klopp will be relying on Salah's big-game experience on Sunday. Salah has not scored from open play since February 19 and his last couple of performances, at home to Watford and away at Benfica on Tuesday, have been well below the standard expected of the 28-goal forward. He also experienced heartbreak at international level by losing the Africa Cup of Nations final and a World Cup play-off - both to Senegal - in the last two months. However, dropping him against City is almost unthinkable because of the message it would send out before kick-off. "Yeah, big-game experience helps, definitely. It is not the only important thing you consider when you make a line-up but it is one of these," said Klopp.
