With Liverpool currently holding a seven-point lead, it promises to be a hugely important fixture as the second half of the campaign kicks into gear.
It’s already been widely described as the match of the season pitting together as it does two of European football’s most exciting sides.
And, as he looked ahead to the game at his pre-match press conference, the City manager said the prospect of tackling Liverpool was a ‘dream’.
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“It’s an incredible pleasure to play these kind of games – it’s a dream to play these kinds of games,” said Guardiola.
“We know how important it is. It’s always a final for us. We know that, but we have to face it like a football game and do what we can.
“I know that the players are going to try the best performance they can do.”
Unlike last season’s historic title-winning campaign when we opened up a 13-point gap at Christmas, this time round the Blues have ground to make up after a mixed sequence of results over December.
But asked whether he was surprised at the gap to Liverpool, Guardiola said the task of trying to overhaul the Merseysiders would serve as a special extra motivation for the Club.
“What we did before doesn’t mean that’s what will happen tomorrow - football is today,” Guardiola added.
“I don’t have any regrets with what we’ve done - I said to them that’s the challenge. You can’t expect to be 13 points ahead at Christmas, it happened once but that’s the point.
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“It’s a huge motivation to catch up and give them pressure, but it depends on us.
“We have a lot of points and we are fighting. We are there still with a lot of games, and everyone will lose points this season.
“Be optimistic and we will see what happens.”
