Pep Guardiola is ignoring Liverpool’s below-par start to the Premier League season ahead of Manchester City’s trip to Anfield on Sunday, declaring: “Nothing changes what I feel about Liverpool.”
City and Liverpool have finished as the Premier League’s top two teams in three of the last four seasons, but the Reds trail the champions by 13 points after a poor start to the new campaign.
Liverpool’s tally of 10 points is their lowest at this stage of a season since 2012-13 (nine), and Jurgen Klopp’s team have already lost as many league games this campaign as they did throughout the entirety of last term (two).
That form represents quite the drop-off for a side who went tantalisingly close to a stunning quadruple in 2021-22, but Guardiola believes City will still face a stern test.
“I had the feeling at Anfield we have played really well [in the past],” Guardiola said on Friday. “It’s different circumstances, but you have to behave at a top, top level.
“In Anfield, winning or losing, we have behaved with an incredible personality. It’s a football game, Liverpool is important because of the quality they have.
“Liverpool were going for a prestigious achievement of four titles. For two little details, they didn’t achieve what no English team has done.
“I pay zero attention to them being in a good moment or bad moment. They know in the last years, we have fought for most of the competitions and titles, and it’s been really close.
“We were a bit better, especially in the Premier League, but nothing changes what I feel about Liverpool.”
Back in town! 📍 pic.twitter.com/Ll8GJn6ELC
— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 12, 2022
Pushed on whether Liverpool remain title contenders, Guardiola said: “Liverpool have always been our biggest challengers, and they will be now. Being in the position that we are, with the World Cup, anything can happen.”
City have picked up four points from their last two league trips to Anfield, just one fewer than they earned in their previous 17 visits to Liverpool (D5 L12).
Should Guardiola’s men avoid defeat on Sunday, it will represent the first time they have done so in three consecutive away league games against Liverpool since December 1992.
City’s efforts could be hampered by the absences of England trio Kalvin Phillips, John Stones and Kyle Walker, but Guardiola says Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva are raring to go after being rested at Copenhagen on Tuesday.
“John Stones will be back in, I don’t know, maybe one week or 10 days. Kalvin is doing really well, but Kyle is out,” Guardiola said.
“We have a lot of games, like all the teams. Players are recovering better. Erling could not play all the games last season. Bernardo was tired, but they feel good and are ready for Sunday.”
Haaland has only played nine Premier League games for City, but he has already broken the records for most goals (15) and goal involvements (18) in a player’s first 10 outings in the competition.
The Norwegian is just one goal away from matching the record for most goals scored by a player across any 10-game stint in Premier League history, set by former Liverpool attacker Luis Suarez – who from October to December 2013 scored 16 goals for the Reds.
Source: Livescore