Three changes for Liverpool clash | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has made three changes to his starting line-up ahead of what will be his 1,000th game in management as City host Liverpool.

Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Rayan Cherki come in while John Stones, Tijjani Reijnders and Savinho, who all started against Borussia Dortmund, drop to the bench for this afternoon’s 16:30 (UK) kick-off at the Etihad.

It's the same XI that faced Bournemouth in our last Premier League game.

Bernardo is captain for today’s clash.

The Blues are third in the Premier League table but victory would see us leapfrog Chelsea and move into second four points behind leaders Arsenal.

TEAMS

CITY XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Nico, Bernardo (C), Foden, Cherki, Doku, Haaland

Subs: Trafford, Reijnders, Stones, Ake, Marmoush, Ait-Nouri, Savinho, Bobb, Lewis

WATCH: Watch: City's last 10 goals against Liverpool at the Etihad

TACTICS

Gianluigi Donnarumma is between the sticks and protected by a back four of Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and Nico O’Reilly.

Nico will continue in the anchoring role after impressing greatly of late alongside Bernardo Silva.

Rayan Cherki and Jeremy Doku will interchange in the spaces behind talisman Haaland.

WATCH: Watch: Pep’s coaching story reaches a new landmark

PEP LANDMARK

Pep Guardiola today hits a landmark 1,000 games as a manager.

It means the boss will be entering the LMA Hall of Fame.

To mark the achievement, in the build-up to today’s Liverpool game, Guardiola was shown video messages from fellow managers who have reached that tally, including the likes of Arsene Wenger, Roy Hodgson, David Moyes, Rafa Benitez, Steve Bruce and Tony Pulis.

Among the commendations, Moyes praised Pep for his ‘remarkable career’, Bruce hailed the boss as ‘the real deal’ while Wenger stressed that the manager had brought ‘a lot of joy’ to football supporters.

His greatest rival, Jurgen Klopp, also sent heartfelt congratulations, saying: “They were the most difficult games but the games I enjoyed the most because you are an inspiration to all of us.”

Lovely words for a hugely impressive achievement.

WATCH: Erling Haaland: Who assisted me?

100 up for Haaland?

Erling Haaland is on the verge of entering the Premier League 100 Club.

The 100 Club is an exclusive and iconic group of players who have scored a century of goals in the Premier League.

There are 34 inductees at present – with Haaland close to becoming the 35th having netted 98 goals in 107 Premier League appearances to date.

If he scores a brace today against Liverpool, he will become the fastest player to 100 goals in Premier League history, with Alan Shearer the current quickest to 100 in 124 matches.

WATCH: Erling Haaland: Season One

It’s never an easy challenge facing or scoring against Liverpool, who are reigning Premier League champions.

But Haaland has netted in each of his two appearances against the Reds at the Etihad, scoring in the League Cup back in December 2022 and in the Premier League in November 2023.

We’d love a couple more this afternoon – and we’re sure Erling would too.

We will remember them

Our Remembrance activations will take place today for the visit of Liverpool to the Etihad Stadium on Remembrance Sunday.

Prior to the match, a service will take place in the Club’s Memorial Garden, where Mike Summerbee will lay a wreath alongside members of the Former Players Association and the Club’s Chaplain.

Then, ahead of kick-off, manager Pep Guardiola will lay a wreath pitch side followed by a performance of the Last Post and a minute’s silence, observed by all in attendance.

All our Men’s First Team will wear a poppy on their shirts, and those worn by City players during the game will be donated and auctioned via Match Worn Shirt, with proceeds going to the Royal British Legion to raise money for the charity, as will the shirts worn by City players during the previous weekend’s home fixture against Bournemouth.

MATCH STATS

WATCH: Jeremy Doku: Unfiltered