Jurgen Klopp relishes Liverpool's titanic clash with Man City

Dominant City have won the title in five of the past six seasons, with Liverpool the only team to break that run in 2020. Since Pep Guardiola's arrival as City boss in 2016, the two sides have played 14 league matches, with City winning five and Liverpool triumphing four times. This season, Guardiola's treble winners lead the way again, on 28 points after 12 games, with Liverpool a single point behind, setting the stage for a titanic showdown at the Etihad Stadium.

"It is not a test (on) how close can we get to City, it is just a really super-exciting football game," Liverpool boss Klopp told reporters on Friday. "I would watch wherever I am on the planet because why wouldn't you watch this game? It's like everything there you need. "But for us it is not about that kind of excitement. We have to prepare for it properly and we know we have to be at our best to get a chance. If we have that then it is up to us to take it."

Klopp was asked whether Liverpool versus City was now the biggest game in the Premier League, even eclipsing their longstanding rivalry with Manchester United. "The rivalry I don't know, you'll have to ask other people," said the German. "For us, from a sports point of view, it's one of the (most) difficult games you can play for many years, since I've been here probably.

"But for a rivalry you need longer and the fans decide that. From a football point of view we needed some time to become a rival on the pitch... from a football point of view, definitely yes."

Guardiola, speaking at his own briefing, said the teams knew each other well after battling for so many years at the top of the league. "Of course, time goes forward. Jurgen has been at Liverpool for eight years and of course it's not the same players