Guardiola fears Man City will be dismantled by Liverpool-style ‘storm’

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed fear that his team could experience a drop in form similar to Liverpool's this season.

The Premier League holders host the Reds in the early kick-off and both sides desperately need the points as the season draws to a close.

City are chasing league leaders Arsenal and Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool want to ensure they qualify for next season's Champions League.

The rivals have been used to battling it out together at the top in recent years but have been poor this season in comparison.

Whilst City's drop-off hasn't been as catastrophic as Liverpool's, Guardiola has made it clear that it could happen to his side at any moment.

What did he say?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Guardiola said: “Always I think it can happen. I never think or overestimate me so much - or the team - that it's not going to happen. This can happen.

"I've said many times that the teams who win the Premier League, the year after, they can not even qualify for the Europa League. That is the best thing we can have as a club, as an organisation. That it can happen.

“Every time it can happen, what happened to Liverpool this season or in another case, Chelsea or another team in the top six. It can happen to us, absolutely.

“When it happens, accept the storm and always tomorrow the sun rises. The only thing I believe in is don't complain, find solutions and try to avoid it, but knowing this can happen.

“You have to qualify for the Champions League every season. We are the only team in England to do it in the last decade, but it can happen.

“Still I'm waiting - the champagne is in the fridge for the moment we qualify for the Champions League next season. Still we haven't done it and this is the only thing I care about.”

The signing of Erling Haaland has been key for City this season and the Norwegian striker could still fire them to a third title in a row for the first time.

However, he won't be involved on Saturday having failed to recover from an injury in time to be named in the matchday squad.