GUARDIOLA APPEAL FOR KOP CALM

PEP GUARDIOLA has warned Liverpool fans to behave and take the pressure off police at tomorrow’s highly-charged top-of-the-table clash.

There are fears the Manchester City team bus could come under attack again, just as it did in April when Liverpool fans pelted it with bottles and missiles as it made its way to

Anfield. Guardiola said the onus is on Liverpool fans to ensure there is no repeat of the ugly episode, with City fans even proposing to line the bus route themselves, to protect their team from a fresh attack.

“The best way to protect the bus is for Liverpool fans to go into the stadium,” said Blues boss Guardiola.

“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, drinking a beer and loving the show, that is what they should do.

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

City needed to draft in a replacement bus to take them home from Anfield after the April attack, after the windscreen was smashed, rendering it unfit to drive.

Reflecting on the bus attack ahead of the Champions League quarterfinal, which saw Liverpool fined £17,500 by UEFA, Guardiola added: “Liverpool should be upset, not me.”