Arne Slot: Liverpool manager believes Man City and Pep Guardiola could reignite form ahead of Super Sunday clash

Liverpool manager Arne Slot denied suggestions it will be easy to face Manchester City – live on Sky Sports on Sunday – despite their contrasting form.

Slot even claimed Pep Guardiola could produce a tactical innovation to put his side back in the title race, ahead of a clash that could help define both teams' seasons.

Leader Liverpool would move 11 points clear of City with a win after winning their last six games.

Guardiola's City, meanwhile, have gone six games without a win, a run that includes five defeats. In their most recent outing, they blew a three-goal lead against Slot's former club Feyenoord in the Champions League and drew 3-3 on Tuesday.

Despite that surprise defeat to the champions, Slot claimed City have played better than their results suggest and he expects a tough encounter on Sunday.

“I don't think anyone in the last eight, nine years (or even longer) would have said City home or away [is] easy,” says Slot.

“Everyone looks at their results. I've seen them too. Against Brighton they were 1-0 up, they could have gone 2-0 or 3-0 but they didn't. Then they were beaten 2-1 .

“Against Tottenham they could have been two or three goals ahead after twenty minutes, but that didn't happen. Against Feyenoord it was [losing a three-goal lead] hasn't happened often. They were 3-0 up and then suddenly it was 3-3.

“They are still a very good team. One of the reasons why I think Pep Guardiola is the best manager in the world is that he always comes up with solutions.

“His problem now may be that Rodri is out, but we all know, at least I think, that he will come up with a solution.” [solution and] that their form will return – hopefully after Sunday.

“He [Guardiola] was the one who started playing with the inverted fullback, and then he was the first to play as a center back as number 6. I wouldn't be surprised if he came up with another idea that no one had ever thought of. his team even stronger. That's why he inspired so many managers around the world.

“When he came up with it we thought it was crazy, but [then] we all said, 'Let's do the same, it's a brilliant idea'. It wouldn't surprise me if he comes up with something new again.

“But let's wait and see, because a lot of things have now been done in football. If there is anyone in this management world who can come up with something new, it is certainly him.”

'It's a good thing no one talks about our injuries'

It is not just City's results that have shocked the football world, but also their performances. Guardiola's side have conceded six goals in the last 15 minutes of their last three matches, a feat Liverpool have not achieved once this season.

When asked why City have conceded so many late goals and why Liverpool haven't, Slot replied: “I'm not playing against Tottenham yet! Because they are a very good team with a great playing style.”

“It always depends on the circumstances. The fact that they got three against Feyenoord probably had a lot to do with the substitutions they made. If you saw the first and the second goal, the second goal, the ball hit the post and then he fell to Santiago Gimenez.” .

“During the season these things can happen to any team. With Arsenal, [Martin] The fact that Odegaard was gone didn't help them. Rodri being out didn't help City.

“I hope we don't face the same problems, but if we do, we have to make sure it doesn't hurt us that much. But it always helps if your star player doesn't get injured.”

“When it comes to conceding goals, it is always the circumstances. Being 2-0 down and taking a lot of risk is different from being 1-0 up and keeping a clean sheet.”

Title candidates City and Arsenal were hit by a large number of injuries at the start of this season. The Gunners have seen captain Odegaard, plus Jurrien Timber, Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori and Bukayo Saka miss important games.

City, meanwhile, are likely to rule Rodri out until the end of the season, with Mateo Kovacic, Jeremy Doku, John Stones, Oscar Bobb, Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish all suffering fitness problems.

Liverpool have also had some injury problems, with recent blows to Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota – plus new concerns over Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate – and Slot was asked whether the Reds' injury problems have been underestimated despite their continued success.

“In general, people only talk about injuries when the results are not there,” says Slot. “So it's a good thing that no one is talking about our injuries, it means we have our results.

“But the moment you start to lose, it's about kick-off times on Saturday afternoon, or injuries, or we come up with certain ideas as to why we didn't win. But for nine out of ten teams it's about quality.” of the other team's players or their game plan.

“We have some very important players who are injured, but when the replacements are doing so well it is normal that people don't talk about it so much.

“It is true that missing Alisson, who has been a starter for so long and has been important for this club for so long, missing Diogo Jota, missing Trent in the last two games, these are players who have had a lot of influence on the results of the past two years.” But it's a good thing we don't talk about it.”

Watch Liverpool vs Man City live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event this Sunday from 3.30pm, kick-off 4pm. Stream the game with NOW.