Liverpool perfect opponents for 1,000th game as manager, says Man City boss Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola is managing his 1,000th game as a manager in the upcoming match between Manchester City and Liverpool, and he described this fixture as the ideal way to celebrate the milestone.

Guardiola emphasized that Liverpool has been his biggest rival in England, stating that the two teams have consistently pushed each other to improve, and he would not have chosen any other opponent for this personal achievement.

He referenced two close title battles with Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool in the 2018-19 and 2021-22 seasons, where Manchester City narrowly won the league by a single point on both occasions.

Guardiola expressed deep respect for Klopp and their rivalry, and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in history, having won a total of 12 domestic league titles and three Champions League trophies across his tenures at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City.