Pep Guardiola shoots down suggestions Liverpool have Manchester City's number: 'We won the Premier League'

Pep Guardiola delivered the perfect response to claims Liverpool have found the secret to beating Manchester City – declaring: “We won the Premier League.”

The defending champions head to Anfield on Sunday aiming to end their hoodoo in front of the Kop.

City have not won a league match against Liverpool on Merseyside since 2003 – and have lost three times to Jurgen Klopp’s side since the turn of the year.

Klopp also has the edge over Guardiola in their personal duel, with a 7-5 advantage dating back to their time in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich respectively.

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But City’s manager was dismissive of the suggestion Liverpool had found his City side out, saying: “Good, congratulations, they (the people who say that) are right. So we won the Premier League.”

Liverpool have emerged as the most serious contenders to City’s crown after ending Guardiola’s Champions League hopes with a 5-1 aggregate win in last season’s quarter final.

Victory on Sunday would see them head into the international break three points clear at the top of the table, with just goal difference keeping City above them at the moment.

Guardiola admitted City were still in Liverpool’s shadow historically – but believes the tide is turning.

Klopp and Guardiola face off again.
Getty Images

“They are top side even if we win,” said the Catalan. “Liverpool is one of the two greatest teams in England and that’s why we tried to be close with them in terms of many, many things and we are closer.

“When you have a vision about the history of the Premier League and you start to compare it with them, to be closer with them, we should be so proud and we are. Here it was always United and Liverpool and after Arsenal involved and Chelsea and now we are there.”

On his own record against Klopp, he added: “I don’t play against Jurgen. I play against Liverpool - we play against Liverpool and before against Borussia Dortmund. It’s what it is.

“Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. Sometimes I lose competitions, sometimes I win competitions, we win. I try to win against the Liverpool that is the point. But if you he won it’s because he’s an excellent manager. I have a lot of respect about the way they play, how proactive his teams are.”

Liverpool ended City’s unbeaten run last year with a 4-3 win at Anfield in January – but it was their triumph in the Champions League that cast the largest shadow over Guardiola’s season.

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While City were blown away on the pitch – losing 3-0 in the first leg – the Catalan was furious about the failure to protect his side when their team bus was ambushed and vandalised by Liverpool fans on the way to the ground.

The club have kitted their new transport out with spy cameras in a bid to identify any offenders this time around after Merseyside police failed to bring about any convictions following the events in April.

Guardiola showed he was still angered the incident, saying: “I think the best way to protect the bus is down to the Liverpool fans who are there.

“The best way is that when the people arrive at the stadium, going to see football game and enjoy watching both sides, that is the best way.

“The best way is that we should not need the Police. Why should the Police need to be there? For what? We arrive there, both sides, to play a Premier League game.

“Why should our fans have to protect our bus? Are you kidding me?

“I would like the Police to go home at 4.30 with their families, drinking a beer and loving the show, that is what they should do.

“But that depends on the Liverpool people, not on Manchester City.”

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