No Messi, Iniesta or Xavi – Klopp says squad part of Guardiola’s problems

City remain without long-term absentees Gabriel Jesus and Ilkay Gundogan.

This game can be won in any area of the pitch and Clyne will need to be at hand to do his part in stopping the supply line to Sergio Aguero.

Captain Jordan Henderson (foot) and striker Daniel Sturridge (hip) are definitely out and Divock Origi is a doubt due to illness.

Pep Guardiola says he wanted to be as involved as possible in making changes at Manchester City when he joined the club. However, it is unlikely that with either Barcelona or Bayern Munich he approached such a run with each fixture so laced with the danger of defeat.

Guardiola’s attempt to combat Monaco’s forwards by going with an attacking approach backfired as City struggled to gain a first-half foothold.

He scored the opening goal in the game, his 15 of the season, as Premier League teams continue to monitor him. We knew they had quality players, we knew they had unsafe players. “City won’t want to lose either as things can go awry very quickly for them if they do”. “I really think about what we have to do”.

Think you can do better than Lawro?

“Because they’re human beings they missed a few chances, too many, so they’re out and that’s it”.

Don’t discount Arsenal from forcing either Liverpool or City from the Premier League’s top four.

Hardly the way Guardiola, twice a victor as manager of a world-beating Barcelona side, wanted to celebrate taking charge of his 100th match in European competition.

Victory would be City’s 200th Premier League home win.

Liverpool’s slump since the turn of the year may have dashed hopes of silverware but Klopp felt qualification for next season’s Champions League would represent “an outstanding success”.

Leicester, fresh from their dramatic Champions League win over Sevilla, have a chance to pull clear of the relegation battle on Sunday when they take on West Ham.

Liverpool’s make-shift left-back James Milner is likely to be in direct competition with dangerman Sane and that may be a major concern for supporters.

“We knocked out Arsenal (in the last 16 in 2015) and we beat Tottenham twice this season (in the group stage)”. There have been some absolute goal fests between these two teams – excluding their last game at Anfield on New Year’s Eve. “We knew they had quality, they are probably the most scoring team in Europe at the minute”.

They are unbeaten in the nine league games they have played to date against the other teams in the top six and have emerged victorious on five occasions.