Klopp's management style 'a benefit for the world', says Man City boss Guardiola

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola admires the way Jurgen Klopp's clubs play football, stating that Liverpool's high-pressing, all-action approach to games is “a benefit for the world”.

Guardiola's City beat the Reds to the Premier League title last season by a solitary point, but were ultimately blown away in the 2019-20 campaign as Klopp's well-oiled machine rolled their way to glory for the first time since 1990.

Both teams are widely regarded to be the best the English top tier has to offer ahead of the clubs going head to head on Thursday, with many more hotly-contested clashes between the sides bound to go ahead in the future.

Guardiola, however, insists that he continues to have a positive relationship with the man who is considered to be his closest rival in terms of managerial prowess.

“As a human being first, I don’t know him that well,” the Catalan coach told a press conference. “We had dinner together once. I admire him, the way his teams in Liverpool and Dortmund, this type of football that his teams produce always is a benefit for world football.

“It is a massive, positive thing to try and always score goals. Jurgen is a big, big example for this. He wants to win and I want to win but when it is finished the game is over, it is done. He is my colleague and after my career I want to have a good relationship with all the managers.”

Asked if City have a point to prove against Liverpool, Guardiola added: “In sport, you have to prove [a point] every time. We are incredibly satisfied with what we have done and what we are doing but for athletes it is never enough.

“The past is the past, memories, but the show must go on. It's a new chapter in our lives and we have to live it.”

While the Premier League title has been wrapped up, City are still in the hunt for Champions League and FA Cup glory, with ties against Real Madrid and Arsenal to come in those competitions.

And Guardiola feels that the best way to ensure progression on both fronts is to gain momentum in the league.

“We have a lot of time to think about the Premier League,” he said. “Tomorrow is an important game and we want a good performance. We want to take a result [against Liverpool] and against Southampton to arrive at the best condition for Arsenal [in the FA Cup].

“The best way to do this is to play well in the Premier League.”