PEP GUARDIOLA HAS scoffed at the suggestion Manchester City should roll over Liverpool on current form when the sides meet on Sunday.

During Guardiola’s time at City and Jurgen Klopp’s era as Liverpool boss, the two clubs have become the strongest forces in the English game.

Liverpool’s title triumph in 2019/20 is the only time City have failed to win the league in the past five seasons, but twice they have pipped the Reds by just a point in thrilling title races.

However, Liverpool’s run of just two wins in their opening eight games of the Premier League season has allowed City to open up a 13-point lead on Klopp’s men.

“For just two little details they didn’t achieve something that no English team has done,” said Guardiola of Liverpool narrowly missing out on an unprecedented quadruple last season.

“It is the same team, same manager, these moments happen. We will have it. We try to avoid bad moments, but we will have (them). It’s part of the nature of the competition.

The players know because over the past years we fought for all the competitions and all the titles. It’s been really close and we were a little bit better in the Premier League, but nothing changes the opinion I have about them.”

The arrival of Erling Haaland at City appears to have made a difficult task in taking the title off Guardiola’s men an almost impossible one.

Haaland has scored 20 goals in 12 competitive games, including 15 in just nine Premier League appearances.

And the Norwegian will be fresh for the trip to Anfield after Guardiola left him on the bench for the full game as City drew 0-0 with FC Copenhagen in midweek to book their place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

“Erling last season could not play this amount of games in a row,” added Guardiola on Haaland’s injury-disrupted campaign with Borussia Dortmund last season.

“He was tired, Bernardo (Silva) as well and other ones. Of course they feel good, so they are ready.”

– © AFP 2022

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