Pep Guardiola provides bumper update on Manchester City fitness including Erling Haaland ahead of Liverpool clash

Manchester City will remain without three key players for Sunday's trip to Anfield to face Liverpool.

The Premier League Champions will have the opportunity to move 16 points clear of Liverpool in the table, as the Sky Blues look to further extend their unbeaten start to the campaign.

Pep Guardiola's side have a torrid record at Anfield, with City having won just once since 2003.

However, Liverpool find themselves sat in 10th place in the Premier League table and dropped points for a sixth time this season during a 3-2 loss to Arsenal at the Emirates last weekend.

Jurgen Klopp's side could slip a mammoth 16 points behind their recent title rivals with defeat on Sunday, with Manchester City looking to remain within touching distance of current league leaders Arsenal.

Should City win on Merseyside this Sunday then the Blues will have to do it without England trio; Kyle Walker, John Stones and Kalvin Phillips.

Walker and Phillips have both recently undergone surgery for their respective injuries, with it still unknown whether they will be fit to feature at the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

Phillips had an operation on a recurring shoulder injury during the international break.

Walker meanwhile underwent surgery following the Blues' win over Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium.

Fellow England defender John Stones also remains sidelined, but is nearing a return according to Pep Guardiola.

The City centre-back suffered a hamstring injury during England's recent draw with Germany at Wembley Stadium.

Speaking about the fitness of the trio ahead of Sunday's clash, Guardiola said: "All of them will be out. John I think will be back I don't know when maybe one week.

"Kalvin is getting better and better. Kyle is still out. I don't know [if they'll be ready for the World Cup]."

The City manager also confirmed that Erling Haaland would be fit to face Liverpool this weekend, after the Norwegian was an unused substitute in midweek.

Haaland didn’t feature during City's 0-0 draw with FC Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, as the Blues secured qualification to the knockout stages.

The 22 year-old has scored in ten successive matches for Manchester City, netting his 20th goal of the campaign against Southampton last Saturday.

Haaland has only failed to score on two occasions for City so far this season, one of which was the 3-1 FA Community Shield loss to Liverpool in July.