Table-toppers Liverpool host defending champions Manchester City to prove their biggest test on their route for the title hunt, as Guardiola's men stand as a challenge at Anfield on Sunday.
Jurgen Klopp's men currently are unbeaten in the Premier League with 31 points, six ahead of the visiting City who will aim to bridge that gap to three with a win.
"Last season we won the Premier League (against) the best contender I ever faced in my career," said Guardiola on Friday.
City's regular goalkeeper Ederson, who has kept five clean-sheets in the Premier League suffered a muscle injury on Friday.
A longer-term injury to Aymeric Laporte has already destabilised City's title defence with midfielder Fernandinho forced to deputise at centre-back, while left-back Benjamin Mendy is still to find his best form after two injury-plagued seasons.
Goal machines of both teams
Both teams have a strong attack and are likely to start with 4-3-3. Liverpool's front three that includes Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah are regarded as one of the best frontlines in Europe since last two years.
On the other side, Guardiola who will be without the services of Leroy Sane will start with Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero and Bernardo Silva as they have formed in their last few fixtures.
Stat Attack: City front vs Liverpool front.
Both sides have played 11 games so far this season and only Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino happen to feature in all games. City's strikers and Salah have played 10 games each.
Man City better Liverpool in scoring more number of goals, as City have accounted 20 goals with Aguero leading the charts with nine goals, followed by Raheem Sterling finding the back of the net seven times.
Liverpool's top three shares 14 goals between them with centre-forward Firmino contributing the least with three goals, whereas African boys Mane (6) and Salah(5) have a higher focus on the target.
Liverpool has been successful in creating more chances for goals where their 43 shots have come out from their 54 attempts of chances compared to City's 30 out of 46 chances.
The frontline of Reds also holds the most number of touches with 1519 (Mane- 541; Firmino-536 and Salaah-442) where the Sky Blues' troika have touched the ball 1295 times with Raheem Sterling on the top with 582 and Aguero with 270 sits at the bottom. Bernardo Silva completes 543 touches to empower City's attack.
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