Pep Guardiola has promised Liverpool a difficult match in Sunday’s Premier League tie at the Etihad.. City will return to league action on Sunday when they will entertain the Reds.. The Premier League champions were knocked out of the Champions League after losing to Real Madrid 3-1 in the play-off second leg thanks to a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick.. Their attention is now shifted to the Premier League how to finish in the top four.. Ahead of this weekend’s clash with the Reds Guardiola said they will have to do everything possible to get the needed points to boost their chance of making the top four.. “We can compete with any team. We have two central defenders out for two to three months. The Premier League is massively important for us. In the Premier League we have played really good games.. “We are not stable but in other games such as against Newcastle, we have been at a high level. We will try to play a good game and the points that we need to stay up there to qualify [for the Champions League] next season.”. On whether Liverpool are stronger now than they were under Jurgen Klopp, Guardiola replied: “I’m not going to answer that question. I have much respect for Jurgen and I know you want to go but I will not play that game.”. City striker Erling Haaland did not feature against Madrid as he was named on the bench at the Bernabeu.. When asked about the fitness of Haaland: “Don’t know yet. Tomorrow we will know it but I don’t know. It’s better to have Erling on the pitch but obviously, we don’t have it but of course with Erling we are stronger.”. When he was also asked about the fitness of John Stones: “He’s injured, difficult one, next hours/days we will know whether he needs surgery or not.”. When he was pressed on whether Stones is set for a longer period of time on the sidelines, he said: “Yes, like Manuel Akanji [who is out for eight to 10 weeks after suffering an abductor injury in the first leg of their Champions League tie against Real Madrid].”
