Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says Liverpool have delivered the rivalry of his career as he prepares to manage his 1,000th game.

Guardiola’s side host the Reds on Sunday, the latest fixture in a back-and-forth rivalry that has seen the clubs consistently compete for the title – scooping the last eight in a row between them.

Across his career, Guardiola has faced Liverpool 24 times, winning on six occasions and losing 10 times.

While he will come up against Arne Slot on Sunday, the Anfield club’s former boss Jurgen Klopp has beaten Guardiola 11 times across their careers, while the City manager has 10 wins against the German.

On Friday, Guardiola explained if he could choose one club to face in his 1,000th game, Liverpool would be fitting.

“If I was to choose one rival, personal, of course I want to share it with many people but that would be the best,” he said.

“Liverpool have been the biggest rival in this country so it could not be better to be honest. Jurgen Klopp gave me a lot and I miss him. It was a sense of to beat that guy how much I have to work and be better. I think we pushed Liverpool to be better and Liverpool pushed us to be better, that’s for sure.”