Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will go on the attack despite style being 'perfect' for Liverpool

Liverpool came out on top the last time the two sides met, in a 4-3 blockbuster at Anfield

Pep Guardiola intends to attack Liverpool despite January's defeat (Getty)

Pep Guardiola will not deviate from his Manchester City side’s attacking approach despite admitting that their style of play is “perfect” for Liverpool.

City travel to Anfield on Wednesday night for the first leg of their all-English Champions League quarter final, in what promises to be a high-scoring, all-action tie.

Liverpool came out on top the last time the two sides met, securing a 4-3 home win in January with Sadio Mané, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah all on the scoresheet.

Guardiola agrees that there are lessons to learn from that defeat, but he believes the main reason City were undone that day was a madcap nine minutes in which the hosts scored their three decisive goals.

“You have to analyse the goals and the game,” he said. “Second half we were much better, but in the middle, 10 minutes, three goals.

“Of course we have to improve on that because [if that happens] in this competition you are out. Of course you have to be defensively well but we concede few goals this season and few chances.

“That means we are solid, but I know the way we play is perfect for Liverpool,” the City manager added.

“It is a team that attack the space with Mané, Salah, Firmino. They are so good, with [Alex Oxlade] Chamberlain coming in behind.

“Of course we are going to try to do something but I feel the best way we play or to try to win is the way we tried to do since we were here together.”

Guardiola went on to suggest that his insistence on playing expansive, attacking football is a show of faith in his players, and claimed that adopting a more reactive approach may lead them to question themselves.

“If I said guys we are going to do it completely different from what we have done so far, my players would look at me and say: ‘That guy is scared. The manger does not trust in ourselves,’” he said.

“Of course I consider the value of Liverpool. Of course I know the qualities and I am concerned about what they do. An arrogant person is thinking: ‘It doesn’t matter what they do. We are good enough.’ No, I’m not talking about [that].

“But you are thinking about if we are going defend 90 minutes in our box then make one counter attack. That it is not going to happen. If we defend for 90 minutes it is for one reason, because Liverpool is unstoppable and much better.

“Why should we change when it is going well so far? This way, we have had good results,” he added.

“We believe we can do it but know sometimes we will have to defend, we have to be careful,” he added. “We try to tell them how they are as a team but we try to impose our game.”

City’s all-time leading goalscorer Sergio Aguero will play no part in Wednesday’s quarter final as he continues his recovery from a knee injury.

It was hoped that the 29-year-old would be fit enough to be named among the substitutes, but Aguero did not travel with his team-mates to Liverpool on Tuesday.