Guardiola wants friendly welcome from Pool fans
PEP Guardiola has called on Liverpool fans to live up to their traditional friendly reputation as Manchester City prepare to travel to Anfield tomorrow.
City’s team bus was attacked outside the stadium when they last visited for a Champions League tie in April, with windows smashed as it was hit by missiles. City needed to source an alternative vehicle for their journey home.
No arrests were made but Merseyside Police have this week announced increased security measures. It is also understood the team will take a different, as yet undisclosed, route.
Even so, it has been reported that some City fans are calling for visiting supporters to arrive early to line the streets to try to protect the bus themselves.
Guardiola feels that should be unnecessary.
The City manager said: “I think the best way to protect the bus is for the Liverpool fans to be as Liverpool fans supposedly are.
“The best way is that when the people arrive at the stadium, (they are) going to see a football game and enjoy watching both sides.
“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 4.30pm with their families, drink a beer and love the show. That is what they should do. But that depends on the Liverpool people, not on Manchester City.”
Guardiola’s annoyance at what happened in April was still evident when he was asked earlier about the matter.
“Liverpool should be upset, not myself,” he said. “The police knew before it happened. Now they know it. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Playmaker Kevin de Bruyne could make a surprise early return to action after returning to training earlier this week.
It was feared the Belgian could be out for three months after suffering a knee injury in August.
Asked if the 27-year-old was available, Guardiola (right) said: “We will see tomorrow.”
Benjamin Mendy could also return to fill a void at left-back after six games out with a foot injury while Fabian Delph is still sidelined.
Liverpool beat City three times in four meetings last season but, as Guardiola pointed out, his side ultimately had the last laugh by winning the Premier League.
Asked if people saying Liverpool had worked out how to beat City were correct, Guardiola said: “Good — congratulations. They are right. So we won the Premier League. They are a top side even if we win, the way they play. Liverpool beat us but they beat a lot of teams, not just Manchester City.
“Liverpool are 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. They are a top side.”
Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes Wednesday’s disappointing defeat by Napoli could boost his side’s chances of beating City.
Liverpool have drawn most of the plaudits for their start to the campaign but go into the game on a three-match winless run, with defeat and then a draw against Chelsea in cup and league before Wednesday’s 1-0 Champions League loss in Naples.
It was not just the result but the manner of it that left Reds fans disappointed, but Klopp sees plenty of cause for optimism. He said: “After the game it felt much more clear they deserved to win than after the analysis. Yes they had more chances, we didn’t have a shot on target. In the last 15 minutes they had two big chances and scored a goal.
“But the crowd was in really unhappy with the Napoli performance at times. We defended really well. Now we will play City and (we could) make the boys aware of what was all wrong.
“But that would mean I forget completely how we played three days before against Chelsea, so we have to stay cool. That’s how it is. It’s not that you miss it overnight.
“My faith in the team is so big. We want a reaction. I didn’t want to lose at Napoli but, if you ask me which is the best preparation mood-wise, it’s losing a game. We felt it now and we don’t want to have that feeling again.”
If Liverpool need to restore any confidence, they need only look back at their last three games against City, all of which they won.
Klopp has been described as Guardiola’s nemesis but the German insisted there is no magic formula to beating City.
He said: “We won the last three games against City. After none of these games you go into the dressing room and think, ‘Now we’ve got it, now we know how to beat City’, because there is no real way, no one thing that you have to do.
“You have to be ready, you need a fantastic football team with outstanding character.”