Man City vs Liverpool live: Team news, line-ups and updates as Bernardo Silva and Andy Robertson start in title contender clash at Etihad

For a footballer who was on loan at Vejle Boldklub as recently as 2021, Hugo Ekitike is accustomed to spending time with the world’s elite attackers.

He will share a pitch with Erling Haaland on Sunday. He has shared a dressing room with Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Ousmane Dembele, Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak.

Arne Slot has elected to stick with the same line-up that defeated Real Madrid during the week.

That means Andy Robertson starts at left-back and Florian Wirtz is given the nod ahead of Cody Gakpo on the left wing.

Pep Guardiola makes three changes to the line-up that defeated Borussia Dortmund during the week.

John Stones drops out of the back line for Ruben Dias while Savinho and Tijjani Reijnders are replaced in midfield with Bernardo Silva and Rayan Cherki.

Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike

Man City XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Gonzalez; Bernardo, Foden, Cherki, Doku; Haaland

Liverpool won this exact fixture 2-0 last season but haven’t won consecutive away league games against Man City since a run of three between 1987 and 1991.

Man City lost both Premier League meetings with Liverpool last season, as many defeats as they’d suffered in their previous 12 against them (Four wins, six draws).

They last lost more consecutively against the Reds between March 2015 and December 2016 (4).

As Pep Guardiola prepares to face his 1000th game as a manager he revealed that Liverpool are the best opponents to go up against but misses his former battles with Jurgen Klopp.

“If I were to choose one rival for this personal milestone, that I want to share with many people, they [Liverpool] would be the best,” said Guardiola.

“I’ve been longer than ever in this country. Of course Barcelona, the impact on my life as a ballboy, football player, manager, and so on is obvious and Bayern was an incredible step as well.

“But Liverpool, especially with Jurgen, have been the biggest rivals in this country and it could not be better, to be honest. So destiny decided that and it’s nice to live it.

“In terms of Jurgen’s side or Pep’s side, I think we respected each other. I had the feeling that Jurgen gave me a lot and I miss him.

“He gave me a lot in sense of, to beat that guy, how much I have to think and work and do it, to make it better.”

Pep Guardiola admits he misses Jurgen Klopp as he prepares to face his great rival’s old club in the 1,000th game of his managerial career.

But the Manchester City boss feels there can be no more fitting opponent than Liverpool as he reaches four figures with a visit from the reigning champions in the Premier League on Sunday.

Mo Salah’s contribution to Liverpool’s play this afternoon could be crucial if they are to defeat Man City.

Arne Slot said: “It’s very important for us to have Mo scoring goals and for Mo to have played how he played against City last season where he also scored a goal and assisted and helped the team out a lot in his defensive work.”