Liverpool V Man City: Guardiola Unconcerned By Anfield Record
Pep Guardiola is not concerned about Manchester City’s poor Anfield record as they look to move closer to Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday.
A home win would put Liverpool – who were pipped to the title by Guardiola’s side in May – nine points ahead of City, who have managed one league win at Anfield since 1981.
“Regarding statistics, I don’t believe much in that kind of thing,” he said.
“Statistics are OK but I’m thinking of what we have to do to beat them.”
City’s only league victory at Anfield in the past 38 years came in May 2003 when they recorded a 2-1 victory.
This will be their first league meeting since January, when City won 2-1. That was Liverpool’s only league defeat of last season as they fought toe-to-toe for the title with a City side who finished with 14 consecutive wins to finish top by a point.
Guardiola’s counterpart Jürgen Klopp said he did not admire City but respected them.
The German said: “I don’t think about the City team of the last few years, I think about the City team of the moment, and that’s good enough for a proper game.
“The character of the team and the manager is pretty good, but the combination of speed and technique is always impressive in football.”
It is a rivalry that has been growing in intensity over the past two seasons both on and off the pitch – most notably when City’s team bus was attacked as it made its way to Anfield before a Champions League quarter-final in April 2018.
Merseyside Police is working with the clubs to ensure supporters “have a safe and enjoyable afternoon”.
Asked if this was the most exciting rivalry in Europe, Guardiola said: “I don’t know. Barcelona-Madrid is always incredible.
“It is two teams who made incredible seasons in the past two seasons. When we won the league by a big margin, they got to the final of the Champions League. Both teams have been incredibly consistent for the past 24 months.”
Liverpool have been given shorter odds than City to take three points, but when it was suggested his side go to Anfield as outsiders, the Catalonian manager said: “It is the people in the media who say we are outsiders or not, or we are the underdog or not.
“I never went into one game feeling like an outsider or that I am not going to win the game. I never felt that. Never. I am not going to take a bus to Anfield on Sunday thinking I am going to lose the game.”
