It’s a crunch week for Liverpool

Guardiola’s stars focus on League Cup final as Liverpool face up to Bayern Munich in Champions League and then head to Old Trafford for a clash that will have sparks flying everywhere.

Liverpool start the English Premier League weekend of action in England with a game in hand over Manchester City, who lead the title race on goal difference.

But by the end of the weekend, they would have played the same number of games as Liverpool visit Old Trafford to play Manchester United on Sunday, while City feature in the League Cup final at Wembley against Chelsea

It is a chance for Pep Guardiola to add more silverware to his record. He won nothing in his first season, but in the last campaign romped to the league title and added the League Cup for good measure.

Now City defend that trophy against a side they handed six of the best to just two weeks ago. They will deservedly start runaway favourites.

For Chelsea it is another test for manager Maurizo Sarri, who is by many accounts set for the sack unless there is a drastic turnaround for the Blues.

Zinedine Zidane, the reports add, is waiting in the wings as the Blues face missing out on the Champions League.

“Sarri-ball”, the style the new Italian manager has brought in to alleviate the boredom of the approach of his predecessor Antonio Conte, has not found favour with the players and caused dressingroom discontent. This will not help their cause on Sunday.

As for Liverpool, their trip to Old Trafford is preceded by tonight’s Champions League tie at home to Bayern Munich.

Liverpool have been accused of battling with the pressure of leading the title race and the burden of ending almost three decades without title success, but countered that with a 3-0 win over Bournemouth in their last game.

They have since had a good 10-day break, popping south to Spain for some work in the sun in Marbella.

“Back in December pretty much we felt each game was the most important game of the season. In a season where you want to be champion, where you want to win the league, each game is like a final,” Klopp said in Spain.

“You see that the intensity always grows and always increases, but we will be prepared. What that means we will see in a specific game. I was so happy about the Bournemouth game, and not because of the result, that was important as well, but about the way we played.”

He will be seeking that same approach on Sunday in what will be a possible make-or-break encounter. To take a bet, go to www.bettingworld.co.za or www.tabonline.co.za or www.soccer6.co.za