When the pair met on Merseyside 13 months ago, with the two clubs level on 17 points, City set up more conservatively than at any other time in Guardiola's reign and left with their first goalless draw and clean sheet on the ground since 1986.

They could have actually snatched victory had Riyad Mahrez not missed an 85th-minute penalty but it was far from a performance associated with a team who had won the league the previous season with 100 points.

This season City arrive at Anfield with a six-point deficit to Klopp's Premier League leaders and there is a debate about whether Guardiola can afford to adopt similar tactics to last year.

"You can see it's a compliment, but for sure it is not meant as a compliment. It's just a game-plan," said Klopp of his rival's approach last time out at Anfield.

"I don't admire other teams, I respect them and I like a couple of things. The character of the team and the manager is pretty good, but the combination of speed and technique is always impressive in football.

"We have to play our best game, everybody in the stadium has to be in absolutely top shape. The guy who sells the hot dogs has to be in the top shape!"

City, by their own high standards, are not at the level they have been for the last couple of seasons when they racked up 100 and 98 points in winning back-to-back league titles.

City have won just once - May 2003 - in their last 28 league visits to Anfield but Klopp is paying no attention to their injury list or poor form on Merseyside.

"We all have problems. Last year (Kevin) De Bruyne couldn't play against us, one of the best players in the world, and they still got results. That shows the quality of Man. City," he said.

"Do I like talking about Man. City all the time? No. I am more than happy with what we did in the last couple of years but getting 100 points, then 98 points, and looking still greedy, that's a really big strength.

"I don't think about the City team of the last few years, I think about the City team of the moment, and that's good enough for a proper game."

Australian Associated Press